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Two  DAUGHTERS  OF  ONE  RACE 


BY 


W.    HEIMBURG 

AUTHOR  OF  GERTRUDE'S  MARRIAGE,  ETC.,  ETC 


MRS.   D.    M.   LOWREY 


NEW  YORK: 
W.  L.   ALLISON  COMPANY, 


COPYRIGHT,  i88p  BY 
WORTHINGTON  CO 


t»m  too  Muggers  of  one  race, 
t»ae  f$e  faircsf  tn  f3e  face." 

— TENNYSON. 


2136402 


TWO  DAUGHTERS  OF  ONE  RACE. 


CHAPTER    I. 

"  FOR  my  lady,"  said  the  maid,  as  she  handed 
a  letter  to  my  grandmother,  Fran  von  Werthern. 
The  old  lady  aroused  herself  from  her  waking 
dream,  let  her  work  fall  from  her  hands,  brought 
her  spectacles  down  from  their  resting-place  on 
her  forehead,  placed  them  firmly  before  her 
eyes,  and  then  studied  the  superscription. 

All  was  quiet  in  the  room,  with  that  unearthly 
quiet  which  follows  days  of  pain  and  sorrow. 
For  over  two  weeks  scarcely  a  word  had  been 
spoken  in  our  household  which  had  not  been 
absolutely  necessary. 

Now  I  was  almost  frightened  when  my  grand- 
mother called  to  me  in  energetic  tones  : 

"  Helena  !  " 

"  Yes,  grandmother." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"Call  Lotta." 

I  rose  and  went  into  the  next  room.  We 
called  it  our  boudoir ;  the  floor  was  covered 
with  a  soft,  rich  carpet ;  my  dead  mother's  fur- 
niture stood  there,  and  my  flowers,  and  Lotta's 
piano  and  easel. 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  called  ;  for  I  did  not  at  first  see 
her.  She  rose  from  the  couch  upon  which  she 
was  lying,  and  looked  at  me  wifh  her  sad  eyes, 
whose  deep  lustre  much  weeping  had  not  dark- 
ened. 

"What  is  it  ?"  she  asked  in  her  clear,  ringing 
tones.  "  Has  any  one  come  to  see  us  ?  " 

"  No,  Lotta  :  grandmother  wishes  to  speak  to 
us."  She  sighed,  but  followed  me,  and  we  went 
back  together  to  the  other  room.  The  old  lady 
regarded  us  sorrowfully  and  earnestly  over  the 
rim  of  her  glasses,  then  gave  me  the  letter. 

"  Read,  Helena,"  she  said  abruptly. 

"  From  whom  is  it  ?  "  asked  Lotta. 

"  Wait,  little  princess,"  was  the  answer.  "Sit 
here,  child,  and  you  shall  hear  immediately." 
Lotta  made  an  impatient  movement,  but  sank 
obediently  upon  the  nearest  chair  and  bowed 
her  head  upon  her  hands.  She  seemed  very 
submissive,  but  I  knew  only  too  well  how  to 
interpret  the  quivering  of  her  lips. 

I  began  reading. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  DEAREST  FRAU  VON  WERTHERN  : 

"  I  have  been  both  shocked  and  saddened  by  your  let- 
ter What  is  man,  I  have  asked  myself,  that  he  should 
carry  his  head  so  high  and  think  himself  so  great  and 
mighty  ?  A  trifling  accident  overtakes  him,  and  all  his 
pomp  and  splendor  pass  away.  Alas  !  dear  Frau  von 
Werthern,  it  is  hard  to  see  any  one  die,  but  it  is  hardest 
of  all  to  see  your  own  child  go,  when  God  calls  him  to 
himself.  And  so  in  spirit  I  press  your  hand  and  say- 
that  I  feel  for  you  and  mourn  with  you  for  your  son.  I 
myself  have  lost  three  children,  three  great,  spbndid  boys, 
but  let  that  rest,  dear  friend.  Your  loss  is  much  more 
severe  ;  he  was  your  only  son.  As  to  the  rest  of  your 
letter  to  me,  I  shall  answer  it  at  once.  Life  here  is  not 
hard,  living  is  not  dear,  and  you  can  get  rooms — nothing 
like  apartments  in  the  aristocratic  quarter  of  Berlin,  of 
course — but  still  cosey  and  comfortable.  My  Fritz  has 
reckoned  that  upon  your  income  you  can  live  here  like  the 
Queen-Dowager  herself,  at  any  rate  a  great  deal  better 
than  in  the  capital. 

"  Five  hundred  thalers  is  quite  a  nice  income  for  three 
ladies,  and  if  the  girls  are  industrious  about  the  house, 
and  you  content  yourself  with  one  servant,  you  can  throw 
off  all  care.  As  far  as  we  are  concerned  we  shall  always 
be  glad  to  assist  you.  I  know  a  very  nice  lodging  in  our 
immediate  neighborhood,  and  if  you  and  your  grandchil- 
dren should  come,  you  shall  stay  with  us  until  your  new 
home  is  put  in  order. 

"  How  long  it  is  since  we  saw  each  other  last !  In  those 
days  you  were  the  centre  and  soul  of  us  all,  and  1,  a  young 
and  joyous  wife.  My  dear  husband  was  by  my  side  and 
my  boys  were  small.  1  remember  how  we  used  to  danca 


4  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

on  the  barn  floor  at  Borsfeld,  at  the  harvest  home.  But 
now  the  leaves  have  fallen  from  the  trees,  dear  Frau  von 
\Verthern,  and  the  swallows  have  flown  away  ;  Borsfeld 
has  passed  into  the  hands  of  strangers,  and  the  young  and 
jovial  officer  who  danced  so  gayly  with  us  in  those  days  is 
— dead,  and  his  daughters  are  left  to  your  care.  But  "— *• 
(here  the  letter  came  suddenly  to  an  end,  and  the  paper 
was  stained  with  the  writer's  tears). 

"  Fritz  and  I  send  hearty  greeting  to  all. 

"  Faithfully  your  friend, 

"  FREDERICA  R." 

Then  came  a  postscript. 

"  The  lodging  of  which  I  spoke  rents  for  sixty  thalers  a 
year." 

"  That  is  just  right,"  nodded  my  grandmother, 
after  a  long  pause.  "  Sit  down,  Helena,  and 
write  her  to  engage  the  lodgings,  and  say  that  I 
thank  her  very  much  for  her  kind  information." 

"To  whom  shall  I  write?"  I  stammered,  full 
of  fear,  and  we  both  stared  vacantly  into  the  old 
lady's  face  as  she  went  on  quietly  with  her  knit- 
ting. 

"To  Frau  Frederica  Roden." 

"  Are  we  going  to  move  there,  grandmamma  ? " 
I  said  inquiringly. 

"  We  are  indeed,  in  October." 

She  let  the  knitting  fall  from  her  hands  and 
looked  from  me  to  Lotta.  The  face  of  my  beau- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 


tiful  sister  had  become  a  dark  red,  and  she  sat 
biting  the  end  of  her  handkerchief. 

"  We  cannot  remain  here,"  said  the  old  lady 
softly  ;  "  this  suite  of  rooms  costs  us  our  entire 
annual  income.  In  losing  your  father  you  also 
lose  your  life  of  ease,  for  he  surrendered  the 
residue  of  his  fortune  to  Hans,  in  order  to  give 
the  boy  another  start  in  America.  I  hope  you 
both  will  submit  and  accommodate  yourselves  to 
the  inevitable,  and  will  do  all  you  can  to  assist 
me  in  bearing  the  burden  which  God  has  laid 
upon  me  at  the  edge  of  the  grave.  You  too, 
little  princess,  what  do  you  say  ?  Give  me  your 
hand." 

The  young  girl  arose  and  laid  her  hand  for  a 
moment  in  the  speaker's  shrivelled  palm,  then 
drew  it  hastily  away  and  went  out.  From  the 
adjoining  room  a  sharp  sound  came  back  to  us, 
half  a  laugh  and  half  a  sob,  then  all  was  still.  I 
sat  at  the  writing-desk  and  held  the  pen  with  a 
trembling  hand.  It  seemed  impossible  for  me  to 
write  to  this  strange  woman  whom  I  did  not 
know,  who  lived  in  an  unknown  place  whither 
fate  was  sending  us,  and  about  which  I  knew 
nothing  except  that  it  was  near  Borsfeld,  the 
ancient  seat  of  the  Werthern  family,  before  *hty 
were  overtaken  by  misfortune. 

When   I   had  finally  written  the  answer  and 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


taken  it  to  my  grandmother  for  perusal,  she 
looked  up  at  me  with  a  troubled  face.  I  have 
never  seen  another  pair  of  eyes  as  wise  as  hers — 
and  I  never  saw  any  moisture  in  them  or  any 
sign  of  weakness.  Even  on  the  day  of  my 
father's  funeral — and  he  was  her  only  son — there 
were  no  traces  of  tears.  But  I  always  loved  to 
look  into  those  clear,  honest,  and  faithful  eyes, 
for  they  inspired  me  with  confidence  and  trust. 
Her  expression  was  severe,  open,  and  self-reliant, 
such  as  a  woman  always  acquires  when  her  hus- 
band is  only  an  overgrown  child,  and,  instead  of 
a  helpmeet,  is  a  continual  care  and  cross. 

My  grandfather  had  been  such  a  child,  thought- 
less, violent,  easily  roused  to  anger,  and  warm- 
hearted ;  and  he  left  to  his  wife  the  entire  care 
of  the  household  and  children.  This  was  a  fam- 
ily trait  with  the  Wertherns. 

"  It  will  do  quite  well,  Helena,"  said  my  grand- 
mother. "  Now  tell  me  what  you  think  of  our 
plan." 

"  Anything  will  suit  me,"  I  answered,  quite 
surprised,  for  throughout  my  life  I  had  so  sel- 
dom been  asked  for  my  opinion. 

"  That  is  well :  you  are  certainly  more  reason- 
able than  Lotta.  Yet  she  is  not  to  blame  that 
she  revolts  from  all  this  ;  she  is  just  like  her 
mother,  who  always  was  a  madcap." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


Lotta  was  my  half-sister  ;  Hans,  who  was  two 
years  her  senior,  was  her  full  brother.  I  was  the 
eldest.  I  had  never  known  my  mother,  for  she 
died  when  I  was  born.  And  scarcely  a  year  and 
a  half  later  my  father  married  a  second  time. 

"  She  is  only  eighteen  years  old,  grandmother," 
I  said  apologetically. 

"  And  you  are  quite  aged  ? "  she  answered 
with  a  faint  smile ;  "  two-and-twenty  years  is 
certainly  an  advanced  age." 

"  But  I  know  the  world  which  Lotta  must  now 
leave,  just  when  it  is  opening  so  attractively  be- 
fore her." 

"Certainly  it  is  hard,"  said  my  grandmother, 
as  she  looked  out  into  the  quiet,  aristocratic 
street  where  our  dwelling  was  situated.  ''  But," 
she  resumed,  turning  to  me,  "  it  is  not  the  worst 
thing  that  could  happen.  It  would  be  worse  for 
us  to  remain  here  and  starve  under  the  eyes  of 
those  who  have  known  us  in  our  better  days  ; 
that  would  be  a  thousand  times  worse.  When 
one  becomes  as  old  as  I,  one  knows  that."  And 
she  nodded  her  head  in  silence. 

"Who  must,  has  no  option,"  she  began  again. 
"  To-morrow  we  will  decide  upon  what  furniture 
we  can  afford  to  take  with  us,  and  will  sell  the 
rest." 

As  she  said  this  her  voice  trembled.     It  is  very 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


sad  to  come  to  poverty  ip  one's  old  age  after 
having  passed  a  long  life  of  comfort.  Hans  was 
the  cause  of  it  all.  He  was  to  blame  for  our 
penniless  condition,  to  blame  for  our  father's 
death,  to  blame  that  two  portionless  girls  hung 
like  burrs  upon  an  old  woman  who  otherwise, 
had  she  been  alone,  would  have  had  sufficient  to 
keep  her  in  comfort  for  the  rest  of  her  life. 
The  thought  rushed  in  upon  me :  "  You  must 
not  allow  it.  You  must  do  something  for  your- 
self." 

"  Grandmother,"  I  began  hurriedly,  "  I  will 
not  go  to  Rotenberg  ;  I  will — I  will  get  a  situa- 
tion somewhere.  You  know  I  have  taken  charge 
of  the  housekeeping  here." 

She  shook  her  gray  head. 

"  No,  Helena,  I  cannot  spare  you  ;  you  must 
remain  with  me.  And  Lotta — who  is  a  mere 
child  yet,  and  any  way  not  fit  to  take  your  place 
— I  shall  care  for  you  both  as  long  as  I  can.  God 
will  do  the  rest.  You  must  both  remain  with 
me.  Go  now,  and  see  that  Lotta  don't  break 
her  heart  weeping — the  poor  baby." 

I  went  to  her,  but  did  not  find  her  weeping. 

Her  cheeks  were  feverishly  red,  and  she  had 
a  volume  of  Meyers 's  Encyclopaedia  in  her  hands. 
When  she  saw  me  she  cried,  "  O  Helena,  only 
listen  to  this  :  '  Rotenberg,  in  the  township  of  X, 


Two  Daughters  of  ^  One  Race. 


district  of  T,  a  county  town  of  five  thousand 
inhabitants  ' — Helena,  do  you  grasp  it  ? — '  five 
thousand  inhabitants  '  !  '  The  people  are  prin- 
cipally engaged  in  agriculture  and  cattle-raising  ; 
there  is  a  high-school,  two  churches,  and  a  needle 
factory  ' — Great  heavens  ! — a  needle  factory,  and 
• — O  wonder  ! — '  a  ducal  palace  with  a  beautiful 
park,  which  has,  however,  been  uninhabited  since 
1815,  when  the  ducal  residence  was  removed  to 
Kerrburg '  !  " 

She  had  read  on  with  increasing  excitement. 

"  God  have  mercy  on  me  if  I  am  to  bury  my- 
self there  !  " 

"  It  may  be  very  nice  there,  after  all,"  I  said 
encouragingly. 

"  Very  nice  !  You  good  soul  !  I  generally 
find  that  what  is  called  '  very  nice '  is  sure  to  be 
a  dreadful  bore." 

"  Don't  borrow  trouble,  little  princess ;  it  will 
be  better  than  we  think." 

She  did  not  answer,  but  an  ironical  smile 
played  around  her  lips. 

"  I  am  going  to  the  churchyard  now,"  I  said  ; 
"  will  you  come  with  me  ?  " 

She  rose  without  a  word,  and  took  down  her 
black  hat,  and  went  to  the  mirror  to  put  back  th§ 
dark  curls  which  had  fallen  low  over  the  fore* 
head,  and  then  took  up  her  gloves, 


ro  Tii'o  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

Gloomily  and  with  knit  brows  she  walked  by 
my  side,  and  numberless  glances  of  admiration 
were  cast  toward  her  by  those  whom  we  met  on 
our  way.  Even  I  could  not  abstain  from  looking 
at  her  repeatedly. 

Yes,  my  sister  Lotta  was  undeniably  the  love- 
liest, most  charming  creature  in  our  great  city,— 
so  thought  I,  so  thought  we  all,  and,  I  almost 
believe,  so  thought  she  herself.  She  had  beer, 
her  father's  darling,  the  favorite  of  us  all,  "  the 
little  princess,"  as  we  had  ever  called  her  sinct 
the  day  upon  which  she  had  taken  her  first  steps. 
I  can  see  her  yet  in  her  pretty  blue  frock  and 
her  dainty  red  shoes.  From  that  time  on  I  had 
watched  over  her  and  cared  for  her  like  a 
mother,  but  I  was  always  astonished  that  this 
dainty  little  creature  could  be  my  sister. 

She  always  responded  to  my  passionate  tender- 
ness with  moods  and  tears,  and  sometimes  with 
stormy  caresses,  after  the  manner  of  spoiled 
children  who  feel  that  they  have  us  completely 
in  their  power.  In  this  way  she  invariably 
carried  her  point. 

After  her  mother's  death,  her  earnest,  enthu- 
siastic affection  concentrated  itself  upon  Hans. 
The  two  children  made  common  cause  against 
their  father,  their  grandmother,  and  myself.  They 
treated  me  as  though  I  had  not  the  right  to  be 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  \  \ 

called  sister,  and  seemed  to  forget  that  we  had 
the  same  father  to  love.  They  were  always 
united  and  ready  to  defend  one  another.  When 
the  trouble  with  Hans  began,  when  the  knowl- 
edge of  his  irregular  life  came  home  to  us,  and 
he  had  violent  scenes  with  his  father,  which  ended 
in  a  breach  between  the  two,  Lotta  was  just  the 
same  and  would  believe  nothing  to  his  discredit. 
And  finally,  when  he  was  forced  to  quit  the  army 
and  go  to  America,  she  cried  and  fainted,  and 
seemed  driven  to  despair.  Even  the  death  of 
her  father  had  not  roused  her  from  this  painful 
lethargy.  All  she  said  was  that  Hans  would  now 
be  altogether  desolate  ;  and  while  grandmother 
and  I  thought  of  him  in  bitterness  of  spirit,  she 
bemoaned  his  fate  as  though  he  were  enduring  a 
hard,  undeserved  punishment. 

The  summer  evening  was  closing  in  rapidly, 
the  last  beams  of  the  sun  fell,  glowing  darkly, 
upon  the  broad  promenade,  enveloping  the  count- 
less throng  of  riders,  carriages,  and  pedestrians  in 
its  transparent  glory.  The  leaves  of  the  trees  on 
both  sides  of  the  street  were  gray  with  dust,  and 
even  the  shrubbery  in  the  beautifully  kept  gar- 
dens presented  a  similar  grayish  hue.- 

"  How  suffocating  it  is,"  I  remarked,  but  Lotta 
did  not  seem  to  agree  with  me.  Her  dark  eyes 
gazed  eagerly  at  this  beautiful  sunset  picture  • 


1 2  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

now  and  then  she  responded  to  the  greeting  of 
an  acquaintance,  bowing  her  head  proudly,  and 
once  she  blushed  slightly  as  an  officer  of  the 
Guards  raised  his  hand  in  salutation  as  he  rode 
past. 

"  That  is  Eberhard  von  Stollen,  Hans's  best 
friend,"  she  said.  "  Poor  Hans  !  " 

"And  who  is  to  blame  for  his  ruin,"  I  re- 
sponded bitterly. 

"To  blame  !  "  she  answered.  "Our  circum- 
stances are  to  blame,  our  miserable  circum- 
stances. If  we  had  a  great  fortune,  Hans  would 
be  the  most  honorable  of  men." 

I  was  silent  ;  it  was  always  the  same  answer. 
At  last  the  quiet  green  churchyard  lay  before  us, 
and  a  deep  peace  came  over  me. 

Far  behind  lay  the  noise  and  clamor  of  the 
streets.  Only  a  few  figures  lingered  at  different 
graves.  In  the  middle  path  two  old  ladies 
walked  up  and  down  ;  the  grayedigger  had  once 
told  us  that  they  came  there  daily  for  a  prome- 
nade. It  had  always  seemed  to  me  queer  that 
they  should  select  such  a  spot,  but  within  the  last 
fortnight  I  had  begun  to  understand  it.  Here 
was  peace  and  rest  and  hope,  and  the  end  of  all 
earthly  strife. 

We  sat  down  quietly,  side  by  side,  on  a  little 
bench  before  three  mounds.  Yonder  my  moth- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  13 

er's,  then  Lotta's  mother's,  and  now  this  new 
grave  of  our  father. 

Neither  of  us  wept  ;  there  was  defiance  in  our 
hearts  as  we  both  thought  of  Hans.  Did  he 
know  of  this  new  grave  ?  Had  the  sad  news 
already  reached  him,  when  he  had  scarcely  set 
foot  on  dry  land  ? 

A  severe,  cruel  message  for  him  !  I  could  see 
him  in  my  mind's  eye;  how  shocked  he  was  as 
he  blamed  himself  for  his  father's  sudden  death. 
I  knew  he  would  weep  and  tear  his  hair,  and  half 
an  hour  after  he  would  be  whistling  a  merry  love 
song,  or  seeking  any  amusement  which  came  in  hi? 
way.  Incomprehensible,  lovable,  kindly  Hans  ! 

Lotta  rose  suddenly  and  went  to  her  father's 
grave,  where  she  kneeled  down,  throwing  her 
arms  over  the  mound,  and  began  to  cry  bitterly  ; 
her  whole  frame  seemed  to  rise  and  sink  in  sup- 
pressed agony. 

For  a  quarter  of  an  hour  she  remained  in  this 
position,  and  I  did  not  disturb  her.  At  last  she 
arose  and  dried  her  eyes,  saying  :  "  There  is  no 
help  for  it,  we  must  just  try  and  see  what  we  can 
make  out  of  this  wretched  existence." 

"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  I  asked  her. 

She  looked  down  with  an  expression  of  indif- 
ference at  the  leaves  beneath  her  feet,  and  re- 
plied :  "  Hans  always  said  that  men  were  like 


i4  Two  Daughters  of  One 


the  puppets  in  my  child's  theatre,  and  we  pulled 
the  wires  as  we  chose  ;  he  was  a  perfect  heathen 
in  his  belief." 

I  looked  at  her  questioningly. 

"  But  I  —  "  she  said  sharply,  rubbing  her  red 
eyes  as  she  spoke  —  "  will  not  be  a  puppet  ;  I  will 
not.  I  do  not  care  to  live  this  way  any  longer." 

She  turned  away  abruptly,  and  stepped  out 
from  between  the  graves  so  quickly  that  I  could 
scarcely  follow  her. 

We  returned  home  in  silence.  When  we  arrived 
there  Lotta  threw  herself  upon  the  sofa,  and  began 
stroking  and  petting  "  Schnips,"  the  dog  which 
Hans  had  left  behind,  and  to  whisper  to  him  of 
his  master.  When  the  animal  heard  the  word 
"  master  "  he  pricked  up  his  ears  and  sprang  for 
the  door,  as  if  he  waited  for  the  familiar  step, 
then  came  back  to  Lotta  and  looked  at  her 
questioningly  with  his  wise,  bright  eyes.  Then 
she  lifted  the  little  animal  up  again,  and  stroked 
his  yellow  hair.  "  No,  I  will  not  !  "  —  I  heard 
her  say  once  more. 

The  following  weeks  were  passed  in  prepara- 
tion for  our  change  of  residence.  The  old  lady 
sat  in  her  own  room  and  studied  the  plan  of  the 
house  at  Rotenberg,  laid  her  measuring-rule  on 
the  chart  and  marked  out  the  spot  where  each 
piece  of  furniture  was  to  be  placed,  and  then 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  15 

made  up  a  list  of  what  was  to  be  sold,  on  a  great 
sheet  of  paper. 

There  was  a  fearful  crying  time  whenever 
Lotta  learned  that  any  favorite  article  was  going 
into  the  hands  of  strangers  ;  the  dining-room 
with  its  carved  oak  furniture  was  guarded,  piece 
by  piece,  by  her,  but  to  no  purpose.  It  was  not 
possible  for  her  to  part  with  it,  she  said. 

"  We  can  part  with  it  easiest  of  all,"  decided 
my  grandmother.  "  What  we  will  keep  are  re- 
membrances of  your  mother's ;  that  trumpery 
there  was  bought  by  Wilhelm  " — so  she  named 
my  dead  father — "  shortly  after  he  became  com- 
mander of  his  regiment,  because  his  new  position 
required  him  to  keep  up  a  certain  state.  I  take 
my  dear  old  things,  you  have  your  boudoir ;  we 
will  have  only  three  rooms,  so  you  must  be  con- 
tented, Lotta." 

But  Lotta  would  not  be  comforted.  On  the 
day  when  the  dealer  came  to  take  away  the 
furniture,  she  lay  upon  the  sofa  positively  ill 
from  weeping  ;  she  sobbed  day  and  night,  and 
was  pale  and  miserable,  and  finally  we  were 
obliged  to  send  for  a  physician. 

"Nerves!"  said  the  kind  old  man.  "She 
must  have  change  of  air.  It  is  a  good  thing  she 
is  leaving  Berlin  ;  country  air  far  from'  the  large 
city,  that  is  what  she  needs." 


1 6  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

But  I  grew  more  anxious  about  her.  On  the 
last  evening  of  our  stay  in  Berlin  she  cried  inces- 
santly. I  sat  down  on  the  bed  beside  her  and 
took  her  small,  hot  hand  in  mine. 

"  Lotta,  my  dear  sister,"  I  begged,  "have  a 
little  confidence  in  me.  Is  it  not  true  that  you 
are  leaving  something  behind  that " 

"Yes,  yes,"  she  sobbed,  "all  my  happi- 
ness  " 

"  And  your  heart,  little  princess  ? " 

"  What  nonsense  !  "  she  answered  in  a  changed 
tone  as  she  ceased  weeping. 

"  I  thought  it  must  be  so,  because  you  are  so 
unhappy,  and  Hans's  friend  came  into  my  mind ; 
you  know — Eberhard  von  Stollen  ?  you  have 
danced  with  him  very  frequently,  Lotta  ? "  She 
did  not  answer  immediately,  but  gave  a  low 
laugh.  "Why  should  I  grieve  over  him  ?"  she 
said  finally ;  "  he  has  more  debts  than  Hans  had." 

"  I  know  that.  But  if  you  love  him  it  is  one 
more  reason  for  you  to  weep." 

"  I  marry  a  poor  man  ? "  she  asked  brusquely. 
"  Helena,  you  are  foolish.  It  is  so  dreadful  to 
be  poor  ;  it  is  such  a  calamity.  Even  if  he  was 
a  very  god — never !  No,  there  I  would  be  a 
puppet  again,  and  to  that  I  will  never  agree." 

"  Oh !  "  I  said,  astonished,  for  my  head 
began  to  swim  for  the  moment.  She  certainly 


Tn>o  Daughters  of  One  Race.  17 

had  received  his  very  marked  attentions  with 
pleasure. 

"What  crime  have  I  committed?"  she  in- 
quired. 

"  You  certainly  did  not  discourage  him." 

"  That  is  true,  while  his  uncle  was  still  alive," 
she  remarked  dryly. 

I  knew  what  that  meant.  The  nephew  had 
been  regarded  as  the  old  man's  future  heir ;  but 
now  the  uncle  was  dead,  and  the  nephew  had  not 
been  remembered. 

"  So  there  are  no  prospects  in  that  direction, 
now,"  added  Lotta  with  a  yawn. 

Such  cool  calculation  affected  me  painfully. 

"  I  believe  you  do  love  him,  and  that  is  what 
you  have  been  crying  about." 

"  That  is  all  your  imagination,"  she  answered 
indifferently  ;  "  I  am  not  at  all  sentimental." 

"  Then  I  need  not  distress  myself  further,"  I 
said  coldly. 

"  Not  at  all,"  she  answered  shortly,  and  turned 
her  beautiful  head  to  the  other  side.  . 

I  turned  away  bewildered  and  entered  my  dead 
father's  room.  The  full  moon  cast  her  pale  light 
in  at  the  windows  from  which  the  curtains  had 
already  been  removed,  and  showed  me  the  blank, 
empty  walls.  My  heart  was  indescribably  sad. 
What  had  come  over  Charlotte  in  the  last  few 


1 8  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

weeks  ?  Had  misfortune  thrown  these  sombre 
shadows  over  her  young  spirit,  or  were  these 
merely  traits  of  an  unlovely  character  which 
manifested  themselves  for  the  first  time,  now  that 
the  sun  no  longer  shone  upon  our  household  ? 
There  are  souls  who  are  made  tender  and  good 
by  misfortune,  and  there  are  souls  whom  suffer- 
ing destroys. 

I  went  to  the  window  and  looked  out,  trying 
to  find  some  reason  for  Charlotte's  words,  and 
some  excuse  for  her  selfishness,  but  I  could  find 
only  one.  She  had  been  too  much  indulged, 
too  much  pampered,  by  me,  by  our  father,  by 
our  grandmother,  and,  last  of  all,  by  society. 

"Yes,  certainly,  we  were  to  blame,"  I  said  to 
myself  musingly.  "  Helena,  what  would  you 
yourself  have  been,  had  the  whole  world  lain 
at  your  feet,  as  at  those  of  your  beautiful  sister, 
while  your  every  wish  was  gratified  even  before 
it  was  expressed  ?  Would  you  be  the  quiet, 
demure,  world-wise,  old-fashioned  little  woman 
that  you  are  now  ? " 

It  had  been  no  light  task  to  grow  so  sensible 
before  my  time  ;  life  had  as  many  attractions  for 
me  as  it  had  for  her ;  and  oh,  I  should  have 
been  so  delighted  to  please  and  to  shine  in  the 
brilliant  ballroom.  But  no ;  in  society  I  was 
ever  only  Lotta's  sister.  The  men  called  us 


Tu'o  Daughters  of  One  Race.  19 

the  beautiful  Fraulein  Werthern  and  "her 
sister." 

I  heard  myself  so  named  once  in  conversation, 
and  the  words  fell  from  the  lips  of  one  to  whose 
laughter  and  chatting  I  had  ever  listened  with 
delight — with  too  great  delight. 

"  Her  sister  " — and  in  such  a  tone,  too. 

And  then  a  young  married  woman  behind  me 
remarked  that  I  dressed  just  like  my  beautiful 
sister,  but  she  queried,  "  Did  you  ever  see  any 
two  so  unlike  as  those  Werthern  girls  ?  " 

On  that  night  I  stood  before  the  mirror  for  a 
long  time  in  my  quiet  room,  and  resolved  never 
again  to  make  a  ballroom  toilet,  and  I  had  kept 
my  word.  It  seemed  as  though  now  for  the  first 
time  I  had  wakened  to  a  knowledge  or  distrust 
of  myself.  I  found  that  my  father,  my  grand- 
mother, Hans,  even  the  servants,  all  looked  on 
me  as  "  her  sister."  Lotta — Lotta  was  ever  and 
always  first,  and  I  had  unconsciously  always  con- 
ceded the  first  place  to  her. 

For  a  time  I  was  very  sad,  but  I  quickly 
conquered  all  such  feelings,  and,  strong  in  my 
determination  to  be  of  use,  soon  found  myself 
necessary  to  all  as  house-mother  and  general 
adviser.  Many  a  time  the  old  hopeless  longing 
for  a  life  of  gayety  came  over  me  ;  then  I  would 
leave  my  housekeeping  and  my  darning  and  go 


Daughters  of  One  Race. 


away  to  my  room,  to  bury  my  tearful  eyes  in  my 
pillow.  And  after  I  had  had  my  cry  out,  it 
seemed  an  easy  matter  to  array  the  little  princess 
for  the  ball  and  then  take  up  again  my  house- 
hold cares.  As  time  passed  I  became  happier 
and  more  contented  —  until  the  misfortunes 
came  :  our  father  dead,  our  brother  far  away 
and  miserable,  and  we  without  means,  quite  with- 
out means  when  our  aged  grandmother  should 
have  passed  away. 

How  fearful,  how  desolate  lay  our  future 
before  me ! 

As  I  stood  at  the  window  in  the  moonlight, 
on  this  last  night  in  my  old  home,  I  looked  down 
into  the  small  court  at  the  acacia  that  had  been 
my  father's  delight ;  it  was  leafless  now.  The 
tree  had  always  made  me  sad  ;  it  seemed  like  a 
prisoner  shut  in  between  the  gray  walls  of  the 
back  building  ;  to-night  I  thought  there  was  no 
more  beautiful  outlook  in  the  whole  world.  I 
felt  I  could  not  part  from  that  lonely  tree,  upon 
which  strange  eyes  would  so  soon  look  from  out 
*his  very  window. 


CHAPTER    II. 

YES,  the  parting  was  harder  for  us  than  we 
had  imagined,  although  we  left  nothing  behind 
but  the  dead  past. 

There  had  been  frost  that  morning,  and  the 
air  was  keen  as  we  drove  through  the  slumbering 
city  to  the  station. 

We  had  taken  leave  of  no  one,  and  had  been 
careful  to  conceal  the  hour  of  our  departure  ; 
so  we  were  left  unmolested,  and  could  care  for 
our  baggage  and  slip  into  a  third-class  carriage 
v.'ithout  notice.  Lotta,  who  had  paid  out  her 
last  bit  of  pocket-money  for  a  dog's  ticket  for 
"  Schnips,"  sat  like  a  sacrificial  lamb  upon  one 
of  the  hard  seats  ;  she  was  very  pale,  but  there 
were  no  tears  to-day.  I  made  my  grandmother 
as  comfortable  as  I  could  with  a  pillow  for  a  seat 
and  a  cushion  for  her  back,  and  placed  a  stool 
under  her  feet. 

Lotta  never  stirred  ;  she  looked  straight  ahead 
at  the  mass  of  houses  through  which  the  train 
cut  its  way,  holding  fast  in  her  hands  a  great 


22  Tu'o  Daughters  of  One  Race, 

bunch  of  violets  which  had  been  left  for  her  the 
evening  before  with  a  card  adorned  with  a  coat- 
of-arms.  As  the  train  passed  the  few  last  strag- 
gling houses  she  threw  the  flowers  out  of  the 
window  with  a  violent  movement,  as  though  she 
would  carry  with  her  no  reminder  of  what  she 
had  left  behind.  Then  she  took  a  deep  breath, 
pulled  her  veil  down  over  her  face,  and  laid  her 
head  back,  and  so  remained  during  her  whole 
long  journey. 

The  landscape  became  more  beautiful  as  we 
sped  on  our  way  ;  we  soon  left  the  plains  behind 
and  entered  a  rolling  country.  The  little  vil- 
lages peeping  out  from  the  gay  foliage  of  the 
autumn-tinted  woods  was  an  agreeable  sight, 
with  the  cloudless  blue  of  the  heavens  over- 
head. 

It  was  the  first  clear  day  after  a  long  rainy 
season, — September's  parting  greeting. 

All  around  us  was  so  bright  that  my  heart 
gained  courage,  and  I  soon  found  myself  again 
making  plans  and  building  castles  in  the  air. 
Who  knows  what  Fortune  might  have  in  store 
for  us  at  our  journey's  end  ?  Perhaps  she  already 
sat  at  the  entrance  of  our  little  dwelling,  and 
only  waited  for  our  arrival  to  pelt  us  with  roses.- 
Lotta  might  find  a  prince,  and  our  grandmother 
perhaps  renew  her  strength  in  the  exhilarating 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  23 

air  and  in  the  company  of  old  acquaintances  ; 
and  who  knows  but  some  day  there  would  come 
a  knock  on  the  chamber  door,  and  who  should 
be  there  but  Hans,  come  back  to  us  again,  quiet 
and  thoughtful,  with  all  his  frivolity  left  behind. 

That  would  be  best  of  all.  Then  I  aroused 
myself  from  my  day-dreams,  and  moved  nearer 
to  my  grandmother,  took  her  hand  in  mine,  and 
looked  into  the  sad,  faded  face.  "  All  will  be 
well  yet,"  I  said  ;  "  all  will  be  well  !  " 

The  old  lady  nodded  her  head  earnestly  : 
"  And  why  not  ?  Still  it  is  providential  that  the 
future  is  hidden  from  us." 

Before  the  sun  sank  we  were  at  the  end  of  our 
railway  journey.  We  stopped  at  Triebelsburg — 
the  nearest  station  to  Rotenberg — to  take  the  stage 
to  that  village,  for  no  railway  went  through  it. 

"  Now  comes  the  most  trying  part  of  our  jour- 
ney," said  my  grandmother.  "  I  shall  probably 
be  half  dead  when  you  lift  me  from  this  seat  of 
torture  at  Rotenberg,  but  it  cannot  be  helped  ; 
so  come  on.  Lotta,  give  me  your  arm  ;  Helena, 
look  after  the  luggage,  and  see  it  is  safely  placed 
in  that  Noah's  ark." 

The  long,  narrow  conveyance,  drawn  by  two 
worn-out  horses,  which  met  my  eyes  as  I  hurried 
round  the  corner  of  the  station,  was  no  reassur- 
ing spectacle. 


24  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


A  little  to  one  side,  however,  a  pair  of  large, 
well-fed  dapple  grays  were  pawing  the  gravel, 
and  on  the  box  of  the  fine  old  coach  sat  a  coach- 
man dressed  in  a  sort  of  livery.  He  was  a 
splendid-looking  young  fellow,  and  held  his 
whip,  on  which  was  fluttering  a  gay  red  ribbon, 
as  a  sentinel  holds  his  musket,  whistling  the 
while  a  lively  air. 

I  was  greatly  impressed  with  the  appearance 
of  this  equipage.  I  turned  to  look  at  it  a 
second  time  as  I  passed  along,  and  said  tp 
myself,  "  If  I  only  had  that  for  grandmamma  !  " 

Just  then  some  one  stepped  in  between  me 
and  the  object  of  my  admiration,  and  a  man's 
voice  said  :  "  Pardon  me,  madame,  but  have  I 
the  honor  of  speaking  to  Fraulein  von  Werthern  ? 
I  am  Fritz  Roden,  and  have  come  to  take  you  to 
Rotenberg.  Our  carriage  is  here." 

I  was  pleased  with  his  kindly  manner  from  the 
first  word  he  had  uttered,  and  laid  my  hand  cor- 
dially in  the  young  man's  extended  palm. 

It  was  a  pair  of  honest,  earnest  eyes  that 
looked  down  at  me  in  a  half-embarrassed  man- 
ner, for  Fritz  Roden  was  a  young  giant  and  over 
a  head  taller  than  I,  although  I  was  by  no  means 
a  small  woman.  These  eyes  looked  out  from 
under  a  high  forehead,  above  which  the  blond 
hair  lay  in  crisp  curls,  just  as  light  and  thick  as 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  25 

our  own  Hans's.  I  had  the  feeling  that  this  was 
not  an  entire  stranger,  and  hastened  to  introduce 
him  to  my  grandmother  and  sister,  who  were 
coming  toward  us,  and  who  were  rejoiced  at  the 
sight  of  a  comfortable  carriage  in  which  to  make 
the  remainder  of  their  journey,  and  to  receive 
such  kindly  attention  on  the  threshold  of  their 
new  home. 

Yet  there  was  unquestionably  something  awk- 
ward about  this  young  man,  for,  as  he  now  turned 
to  grandmamma  and  Lotta,  he  did  not  know 
what  to  say  ;  he  only  stammered,  and  shook  the 
old  lady  by  the  hand  as  he  would  a  young  com- 
rade ;  and  when  Lotta,  who  had  thrown  back  her 
veil  and  looked  him  well  over,  greeted  him  with 
a  charming  smile,  he  became  so  red  that  he  was 
almost  purple,  and  turned  hastily  away  to  call 
the  carriage. 

When  we  had  taken  our  seats  he  declined,  red- 
dening still  more,  to  take  a  seat  by  me — Lotta 
could  never  ride  backwards — but  swung  himself 
up  on  the  box  by  the  coachman. 

Lotta  regarded  the  coachman,  the  horses,  and 
even  the  embroidered  cover  that  lay  on  the  car- 
riage cushions,  with  the  same  cool  glance  that 
she  had  bestowed  upon  Herr  Roden.  She  found 
a  comfortable  place  for  the  dog,  between  her 
grandmother  and  herself,  drew  her  heavy  black 


26  Tu'o  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

veil  over  her  pale  face,  in  order  to  prevent  her 
hair  from  being  blown  about  by  the  evening 
wind,  and  then  sank  back  into  dreamland,  as  if 
that  were  the  proper  place. 

My  grandmother  slept,  and  Schnips  laid  his 
head  on  Lotta's  lap,  blinked  a  little,  and  then 
fell  asleep  also.  The  carriage  went  on  steadily 
toward  its  journey's  end,  the  sun  sank  beneath 
the  horizon  in  fiery  red,  and  the  night  came  on 
quickly. 

I  looked  out  into  the  distance  so  long  and  so 
steadily  that  my  eyes  began  to  ache,  and  when 
I  turned  to  look  at  my  companions  I  could  only 
see  them  through  a  haze.  Fritz  Roden  was  still 
on  the  coachman's  box,  and  had  turned  half  way 
around  to  look  at  Lotta  ;  and  when  I  looked  at 
her  I  found  she  was  staring  at  him  also,  but 
with  a  defiant  expression  in  her  beautiful  large 
eyes,  as  if  she  would  ask  :  "  Who  are  you  ?  What 
do  you  want  ?  Is  it  really  worth  the  trouble  to 
observe  you  at  all  ? " 

I  could  not  understand  her  in  the  least ;  my 
feeling  of  happiness  suddenly  disappeared  ;  I 
felt  chilled,  and  her  expression  angered  me,  al- 
though I  could  not  tell  why. 

After  a  little  while  Lotta  leaned  over  and 
whispered  laughingly  in  my  ear  : 

"  They  are  all  of  one  stripe,  Helena,  the  heavy 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


gray  horses,  and  the  great  man  in  the  top-boots 
and  jacket ;  the  horses  will  never  run  away,  and 
he- 
She  stopped  abruptly,  for  at  that  moment  Herr 
Roden  turned  around  to  us  and  said  : 
"  Now  w<^  are  almost  home  !  " 
It  had  by  this  time  grown  quite  dark.  The 
carriage  went  quickly  through  a  dark  lane,  and 
then  rattled  over  a  wretched  stone  pavement,  so 
that  grandmother  was  aroused  from  her  nap  and 
forced  to  sit  erect.  Now  we  passed  houses  with 
bright  lights  shining  through  the  windows  ;  then 
went  through  a  gateway  on  to  a  broad,  level  car- 
riage sweep,  overshadowed  on  either  side  by  the 
branches  of  fine  old  trees,  and  beyond  through 
the  darkness  I  could  discern  a  large  rambling 
building  ;  and  to  the  right  a  wonderful  medley 
of  walls  and  picturesque  gables  which  reached 
high  up  toward  the  dark  evening  sky  ;  then  we 
passed  under  another  archway  into  the  wide  court. 
Bright  windows  welcomed  us,  dogs  barked 
joyously  around  the  carriage,  which  stopped 
before  the  hospitable,  wide-open  door,  and  from 
the  entrance  hall  a  little  old  lady  came  forward 
hastily  to  greet  us. 

"  Frau   von   Werthern !  "  she   cried,  "  what    a 

pleasure  !    Ah  ! — and  the  two  dear  children " 

The   quiver   in  her   voice  told  of    the    tears 


25  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

she  kept  back.  And  that  was  Fritz  Roden's 
mother. 

I  thought,  as  we  delayed  long  at  the  bounti- 
fully supplied  table,  I  should  never  grow  tired 
looking  at  her  kindly  face.  Ah,  if  I  could  only 
describe  all  that  its  gentleness  expressed  to  me. 
We  sat  in  a  large  room  with  low  ceiling,  and  snow- 
white  curtains  at  its  windows.  The  floor  was  of 
boards  and  well  polished.  In  the  centre  stood 
the  table,  with  its  coverings  of  fine  homespun 
damask  and  its  quaint  old  china.  On  the  wall 
hung  a  large  clock,  and  under  it  stood  a  heavy 
mahogany  secretaire  ;  a  great  stove  covered  with 
yellow  Dutch  tiles  stood  in  the  corner  and  kept 
up  a  merry  roar,  and  near  by  was  a  comfortable- 
looking  easy-chair.  And  then  there  was  the 
sprightly  little  hostess  with  her  good  face,  and 
the  blue  eyes  in  which  every  now  and  then 
the  tears  glistened. 

How  carefully  the  big  son  guarded  his  mother, 
as  though  she  were  a  child,  and  how  proudly 
she  glanced  after  her  only  boy  when  he  crossed 
the  room,  or  when  he  in  his  quiet  manner  cor- 
rected her  hasty  speech.  There  was  no  trace  of 
embarrassment  here,  where  he  was  the  master  ; 
his  position  seemed  suddenly  to  give  him  a  dig- 
nity which  sat  well  upon  his  youthful  coun- 
tenance. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  29 

He  stood  behind  his  chair  and  asked  a  short 
blessing,  after  which  he  took  his  seat  opposite 
his  mother  and  carved  the  wild-fowl  skilfully. 

The  two  old  ladies  sat  on  either  side  of  him, 
and  Lotta  and  I  completed  the  little  circle. 
Lotta  was  silent,  but  no  word  or  action  of  either 
mother  or  son  escaped  her. 

"  One  can  readily  see,  Frau  von  VVerthern," 
said  our  friendly  hostess,  "  that  these  two  dear 
girls  are  only  half-sisters  ;  they  do  not  resemble 
one  another  in  the  least." 

"  Yet  a  family  resemblance  is  very  percep- 
tible," responded  my  grandmother,  who  was 
always  pained  when  any  speech  referring  to  the 
dissimilarity  in  our  appearance  was  made. 

"  Not  the  least  vestige  ! "  declared  Fritz 
Roden  as  he  took  a  deep  draught  from  his  glass. 
"  I  believe  it  would  be  impossible  to  find  one 
point  of  resemblance  ;  the  one  is  a  blonde,  the 
other  a  brunette."  Then  he  finished  his  glass 
and  arose. 

"  I  hope  you  ladies  will  be  pleased,"  he  said 
simply  ;  "  in  the  first  place  with  our  house,  but 
more  especially  with  your  new  home.  You  will 
not  find  it  so  bad  here,  after  all.  Men  with  kind 
hearts  are  to  be  found  everywhere,  and  the  sun 
shines  just  as  brightly  over  our  little  Rotenberg 
as  over  Berlin's  sea  of  houses.  Our  air  is  cer- 


30  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

tainly  fresher,  it  blows  over  wood  and  field 
before  it  gets  into  our  streets,  and  the  snow  is 
whiter  and  purer  than  in  the  great  city,  and 
even  the  roses  are  brighter  and  more  fragrant. 
My  heart's  wish  is  that  the  roses  of  peace  and 
contentment  may  bloom  here  for  you  all.  What 
my  mother  and  I  are  able  to  do  for  your  com- 
fort you  may  rest  assured  we  will,  and  with  all 
our  hearts." 

He  shook  hands  warmly  with  each  of  us,  and 
when  he  came  to  Lotta  I  noticed  that  the  same 
half-contemptuous  smile  played  round  her  small 
mouth,  but  he  did  not  seem  to  perceive  it. 

Frau  Roden  had  taken  both  my  grandmother's 
hands  in  her  own,  and  her  eyes  were  wet  as  she 
whispered  that  they  would  strain  every  nerve  to 
make  us  comfortable  in  Rotenberg. 

"  Have  you  ^ver  been  in  Berlin  ? "  Lotta  sud- 
denly asked  the  young  man. 

It  was  the  first  word  that  she  had  spoken,  and 
the  vibrating  tones  of  her  voice  seemed  to  strike 
Frau  Roden  unpleasantly. 

"  I  served  my  year  in  the  army  in  that  city," 
Fritz  answered  quietly. 

"  In  what  regiment  ?  " 

"  In  the  loth  Guards." 

"In  Hans's  regiment !  "  cried  Lotta  joyfully. 

"  I  knew  your  brother,"  he  said,  and  looked  at 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  31 


my  grandmother  critically,  as  though  he  feared 
to  wound  her. 

"  He  was,  I  suppose,  your  superior  officer,  and 
you  were  doubtless  in  his  company,"  said  Lotta, 
playing  carelessly  with  her  teaspoon  on  a  fruit- 
dish. 

"  You  are  almost  right,"  he  responded,  smiling; 
"  he  had  just  become  an  ensign." 

"  Hans  has  caused  us  great  sorrow,"  began  my 
grandmother  suddenly  ;  "  he  brought  his  sisters 
to  penury  and  sent  his  father  to  the  grave.  My 
son  accompanied  him  to  Bremen,  from  which 
port  he  sailed,  and  came  back  to  Berlin  ill  from 
excitement  and  grief.  On  the  following  day 
heart  disease  ended  his  life." 

There  was  a  deathly  stillness  in  the  room  after 
my  grandmother  ceased  speaking,  only  broken 
by  the  clatter  of  the  spoon  which  Lotta  let  fall 
heavily  on  her  plate. 

"  A  hard  accusation,"  Frau  Roden  said  at  last. 

"  But  a  just  one,"  responded  the  old  lady  ; 
"he  was  a  gambler." 

Lotta  rose  suddenly  (like  a  wounded  doe),  and 
her  great  eyes  filled  with  tears. 

"  I  knew  nothing  of  that,"  said  Fritz  Roden. 
"  I  only  know  that  once  he  gave  his  last  piece  of 
money  to  a  poor  soldier,  in  order  that  he  might 
go  home  to  bury  his  poor  mother,  and  that  he 


32  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


plunged  blindly  into  the  Spree  in  order  to  save 
one  who  was  wearied  of  life." 

He  looked  toward  Lotta  as  he  spoke,  and  was 
answered  by  a  glance  so  grateful  and  so  warm 
that  he  became  silent  from  embarrassment  and 
looked  into  his  glass. 

"Yes,  that  was  Hans,"  she  cried,  "and  I  know 
many  more  just  such  instances.  But  such  infre- 
quent occurrences  are  altogether  out  of  the 
common  track,  and  are  rejected  and  despised  as 
worthless  to-day.  Hans  was  a  man  who " 

"  Who  was  very  inconsiderate,"  said  my  grand- 
mother, completing  the  sentence,  "just  those 
traits  which  you  emphasize  show  a  lack  of  any 
earnestness  and  of  any  mature  reflection.  There 
is  an  old  proverb  :  '  Over-great  goodness  is  no 
goodness  ! ' ' 

Lotta  was  silent,  but  she  looked  over  toward 
the  young  man  as  if  she  expected  help.  But 
when  he  did  not  speak,  and  only  nodded  his  head 
as  if  in  approval,  the  old  contemptuous  smile 
came  back  to  her  lips,  and  she  leaned  back  in 
her  chair  without  any  attempt  to  renew  or  sus- 
tain the  conversation. 

Frati  Roden  and  my  grandmother  continued 
talking  earnestly  together  until  the  clock  struck 
ten. 

My  grandmother  rose  immediately.     Candle? 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  33 

were  brought  to  us  in  heavy  brass  sticks,  and  we 
were  led  through  a  great  cold  hall,  which  had 
about  it  a  decided  aroma  of  fresh  milk,  and  up 
the  broad  stairs  to  the  story  above. 

Fritz  Roden  accompanied  us  thus  far,  and 
then  turned  and  once  more  wished  us  happiness 
in  our  Rotenberg  abode,  and  at  the  same  time 
bade  us  good-night.  Then  he  whistled  to  his 
great  hunting-dog,  who  had  lain  near  him  all 
evening,  and  went  out. 

"  He  always  goes  out  the  last  thing  before 
retiring,  to  see  that  all  is  right  for  the  night," 
explained  his  mother  proudly.  "  When  my  dear 
husband  died,  and  he  took  charge  of  the  estate, 
I  was  at  first  very  anxious  as  to  how  it  would  all 
be  managed,  for  Fritz  was  very  young  then ; 
but  all  went  on  as  quietly  and  smoothly — thank 
God  ! — as  we  could  desire.  The  only  thing  he 
needs  now  is  a  wife,  for  I  am  beginning  to 
realize  that  I  am  not  now  as  capable  as  in  other 
days,  and  prove  at  times  of  little  assistance  to 
him.  But — please  turn  to  the  left,  Frau  von 
Werthern." 

The  large,  square  hall  through  which  we  were 
passing  was  lined  with  wardrobes  and  chests  of 
drawers,  and  from  it  we  entered  our  sleeping- 
apartments,  where  the  high  snow-white  beds  in- 
vited us  to  repose.  • 
3 


54  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


Here,   too,   was  a   crackling   wood    fire    in    r 
Dutch   stove — a  wise  protection  against  the  kee 
autumn  air.     A  pleasant  smell  of  lavender  pe 
vaded  the  room.     Everything  was  as  cosey  am 
snug  as  in  the  room  we  had  just  quitted. 

Our  grandmother  was  to  have  a  room  with  a 
single  window  next  to  ours.  And  now  our  kind 
hostess  asked  us  a  thousand  questions.  Whether 
we  preferred  separate  beds,  or  would  we  share 
one  ?  Would  we  like  milk  or  coffee  in  the  morn- 
ing ?  She  promised  to  take  us  all  to  our  new 
dwelling  early  the  next  day  ;  it  was  near  her  own 
home,  and  she  had  been  particularly  anxious  to 
have  us  near  her.  And  the  rooms  were  very 
pretty  ;  they  had  been  occupied  formerly  by  a 
part  of  the  prince's  household. 

The  building  had  been  called  the  "  Cavalier's 
House,"  and  had  been  built  by  one  of  the  reign- 
ing family,  a  splendor-loving  man  with  a  taste 
for  rococo,  who  was  used  to  entertain  such 
quantities  of  guests  that  even  the  rooms  at  the 
castle  were  not  sufficient  for  their  accommoda- 
tion. The  "  Cavalier's  House  "  was  just  oppo- 
site the  castle,  and  on  its  second  floor  was  this 
little  suite  of  rooms  where  old  documents  had 
been  kept.  And  Fritz  had  written  immediately 
to  see  if  they  could  be  rented.  And  sure  enough 
we  "found  that  they  could,  and  the  rent  went  to 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  35 

the  Children's  Home  which  the  duchess  had 
recently  founded. 

"Yes,  that's  the  way  it  was."  To  be  sure  the 
walls  looked  a  little  dingy,  but  the  beautiful 
wainscoting  looked  very  well  again,  since  Han- 
nah and  Rieke  had  rubbed  it  well  and  polished 
it  with  wax.  Everything,  she  assured  us,  looked 
most  inviting  now,  and  from  the  back  room  was 
a  view  into  the  garden.  In  the  spring  time  that 
garden  was  one  mass  of  purple  lilacs,  with  their 
heavy  perfume  scenting  the  air,  and  just  in  the 
corner  all  the  nightingales  of  Rotenberg  assem- 
bled. 

And  then  she  wished  us  many  times  a  restful, 
refreshing  night,  and  said  that  the  young  ladies 
must  have  a  care  about  their  dreams,  for  they 
would  surely  dream  about  their  future  bride- 
grooms, and  all  such  dreams  would  come 
true. 

Then  she  went  out  and  shut  the  door  softly, 
as  if  we  were  already  in  deep  slumber. 

"  Good-night  !  "  said  our  grandmother,  and 
went  into  her  little  room,  and  we  began  silently 
to  prepare  for  the  night.  Lotta  was  still  sitting 
in  her  white  dressing-sacque  on  the  edge  of  her 
bed,  brushing  her  thick  black  hair,  long  after  I 
had  retired,  and,  when  I  was  half  asleep,  sud- 
denly I  heard  her  laugh  softly. 


36  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

•i 

"  What  is  it,  little  princess  ?  "  1  asked,  arous- 
ing myself. 

She  caiije  over  to  me  and  sat  on  the  edge  of 
my  bed,  and  asked  me  to  braid  her  hair  for 
her.  While  I  was  dividing  the  long  strands  she 
laughed  again. 

"  Why  are  you  laughing  ?  "  I  asked  again. 

"  Because  I  am  amused,"  she  said,  standing  up, 
and  throwing  the  long  braids  back  on  her  neck. 
"  I  think  we  are  all  so  beautifully  adapted  to  this 
idyllic  existence ;  I  certainly  am,  at  least.  Good- 
night, sister,  do  not  dream  of  this  excellent  youth, 
who  has  certainly  come  into  this  world  a  hun- 
dred years  too  late.  To-morrow  I  will  read 
'  Hermann  and  Dorothea'  once  more,  and  think 
of  '  the  comely  son  and  the  careful  housewife.'  " 

"  I  am  pleased  with  everything  here,  Lotta,"  I 
said  sharply. 

"Of  course  you  are,  you  dear  old  soul,"  she 
answered  carelessly.  "  Everything  is  so  ancient 
and  smells  of  the  barnyard.  You  know  you 
always  had  a  fancy  for  village  tales." 

"  Hush,  Lotta  !  " 

"  Ah  !  I  have  a  longing  for  Berlin,  a  deadly 
longing !  "  and  she  sighed  deeply.  "  If  I  remain 
here  I  shall  die.  I  know  it !  "  And  with  this 
sorrowful  prophecy  she  laid  her  head  upon  her 
pillow  and  cried  as  if  her  heart  would  break. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  37 

I  was  nearly  asleep  again  when  I  heard  her 
call  my  name  once  more. 

"  What  is  it,  Lotta — are  you  ill  ?  " 

But  there  sounded  a  low  chuckle  through  the 
room  :  "  Helena,  did  you  see  the  large  leather 
pocket,  with  its  great  heart  of  red  morocco,  which 
the  worthy  housewife  had  hung  under  her  apron  ? 
That  is  where  she  keeps  her  milk  pennies  ;  she 
sells  the  foamy  liquid  herself.  What  would  you 
think  if  '  the  comely  son  '  fell  in  love  with  either 
of  us,  and,  when  the  wedding-day  arrived,  we 
were  given,  as  emblems  of  our  dignity,  not  only 
slippers  and  hoods,  but  also  the  penny  bag  ? " 
And  she  laughed  so  merrily  that  I  was  perforce 
obliged  to  laugh  too,  although  I  saw  little  to 
excite  mirth.  Then  I  fell  asleep,  and,  singularly 
enough,  I  dreamed  I  was  at  a  large,  white  milk- 
table  in  the  square  hall,  measuring  with  a  glisten- 
ing tin  cup  the  fresh  white  milk,  and  near  me  lay 
the  penny  bag,  and  on  it  flamed  and  glowed  the 
morocco  heart ;  and  in  my  dream  I  was  so  happy 
and  calm  and  thoughtful. 

Frau  Roden  had  not  said  too  much  about  our 
future  dwelling  ;  we  had  an  abundance  of  room, 
much  more  than  we  had  possessed  in  our  palmy 
days. 

To  be  sure,  we  had  to  mount  a  small  flight  of 


38  7u>o  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

steps  which  led  direct  from  the  garden.  In 
former  times  this  garden  had  been  connected 
with  the  castle  park,  but  it  was  now  a  part  of 
the  Roden  estate. 

Once  above,  we  found  ourselves  in  a  small 
vestibule  ;  the  walls  were  ceiled  with  wood,  and 
three  white  and  gilded  doors  led  out  from  it  into 
our  rooms. 

On  the  ceiling  of  the  small  room  which  over- 
looked the  garden  was  a  beautiful  fresco  framed 
about  with  garlands  of  stucco, — rosy  Morning 
in  her  bright  and  flowing  robes,  floating  upon 
the  clouds,  surrounded  by  cherubs  scattering 
flowers.  Medallions  adorned  the  corners.  The 
walls  on  the  other  hand,  had  simply  been  painted 
white.  The  fireplace  had  been  walled  up  ;  and 
back  in  the  corner,  as  if  ashamed  of  its  own 
shabbiness,  stood  a  little  rusty,  round,  sheet-iron 
stove. 

"  The  children  will  sleep  here,"  my  grand- 
mother decided. 

Frau  Roden  opened  a  door  and  called  us  to 
come  out  upon  a  pretty  little  balcony,  enclosed 
by  a  lattice-work  of  wrought  iron. 

It  was  a  magnificent  prospect.  The  wide  gar- 
den, with  bright,  gay  colors,  lay  at  our  feet,  and 
through  the  branches  of  the  trees,  half  bereft  of 
their  leaves,  we  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  land 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  39 


beyond,  and  the  blue  mountains  which  lined  the 
far  horizon. 

"  You  can  consider  the  part  of  the  garden  that 
lies  beneath  us  as  your  own  property  ;  for  you 
will  never  be  disturbed  in  it,"  said  our  genial 
cicerone.  "  It  is  a  romantic  bit  of  wilderness,  and 
young  people  like  that  sort  of  thing.  It  was 
always  a  most  attractive  place  to  my  Fritz  when 
he  was  a  boy.  Whenever  I  went  to  seek  him  I 
was  sure  to  find  him  seated  under  one  of  the  high 
trees  reading,  but  nowadays  he  has  no  time  to 
lie  under  trees  with  his  books.  But  here,  dearest 
Frau  von  Werthern,  these  are  the  front  rooms." 

They  were  indeed  two  stately  rooms,  with  high 
windows,  and  rich  stucco  on  the  ceilings,  and 
in  each  room  a  comfortable-looking  Dutch  tile 
stove. 

"  This  is  better  than  we  had  dared  to  expect," 
said  my  grandmother  joyfully. 

"  Yes,  dear  friend.  Not  every  one  could  have 
obtained  these  rooms.  Or  perhaps  you  think  it 
would  have  made  no  difference  to  Fritz  and  me, 
who  ran  through  our  court  and  garden  in  order 
to  get  up  here  ? — Yes,  Fraulein  Lotta,  that  is  a 
very  beautiful  view,  is  it  not  ?  Those  splendid 
rooms  of  the  ducal  castle  opposite  are  the  ones 
which  are  always  occupied  when  any  of  the  fam- 
ily come  to  Rotenberg.  And  see,  there  is  Anita 


40  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


taking  advantage  of  this  beautiful  autumn  day 
and  throwing  open  all  the  windows." 

I  stepped  over  by  Lotta  and  we  both  looked 
across.  We  saw  there  a  woman's  figure  leaning 
out  of  a  high  window  as  she  threw  the  green 
Venetian  blinds  far  back  ;  and  from  out  the  dim 
room  behind  shone  a  rainbow-colored  light,  as  a 
sunbeam  struck  the  crystals  of  the  chandelier 
and  touched  the  rich  gilt  frames  of  the  pictures. 

Through  the  yellow  silk  hangings  which  the 
wind  blew  apart  we  saw  the  graceful  figure  of  a 
tall,  dark  woman  who  stood  at  the  window  in 
meditation.  She  did  not  seem  very  young  to  the 
eye,  but  had  a  remarkably  clear-cut  face.  There 
was  something  very  singular  in  her  countenance, 
and  to  me  at  least  not  altogether  attractive. 

"  Who  is  it  ? "  asked  Lotta  and  I  in  one 
breath. 

The  face  of  the  old  lady  assumed  an  angry 
expression  as  she  answered  :  "  The  adopted 
daughter  of  the  keeper  of  the  chateau ;  she 
came  either  from  Italy  or  Greece — nobody  knows 
which — when  she  was  about  seventeen  years  old, 
I  believe.  The  old  governor  was  obliged  tc. 
adopt  her,  for " 

She  made  a  motion  to  my  grandmother  with 
her  hand,  as  if  to  say,  "  We  will  not  talk  of  he» 
any  more." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  41 

"She  interests  me  greatly,"  said  Lotta. 

"  Ah,  she  is  no  companion  for  you,"  said  Frau 
Roden  energetically,  becoming  very  red  in  the 
face.  "  If  you  want  company,  our  pastor  has  a 
fine  little  daughter,  and  the  biirgermeister  has 
three — all  honest,  good  girls." 

Lotta  had  turned  around,  and  was  looking  with 
surprise  at  the  vehement  speaker. 

"  I — company  ?  I  do  not  seek  any  here  !  " 
came  slowly  from  her  lips. 

"  Well,  well,"  said  the  old  lady  appeasingly. 
"  You  have  misunderstood  me,  dear  child — there 
was  no  harm  meant.  But  you  are  entirely  too 
young  to  become  a  recluse,  and  youth  seeks 
youth.  There  are  here,  also,  light  young  feet 
that  dance  joyously,  and  over  in  the  town  hall  at 
carnival  time  there  are  beautiful  dances  and  a 
fine  orchestra  ;  you  ought  to  see  my  Fritz  waltz. 
Do  not  be  angry,  dear  child  ;  so  long  as  your 
heart  aches,  of  course  you  do  not  think  of  gaye- 
ties.  But,  God  willing,  youthful  pleasures  and 
joys  will  return  to  you." 

Lotta  had  turned  away  at  the  first  word,  and 
did  not  again  cast  a  glance  at  the  speaker,  but 
looked  attentively  toward  the  long  row  of  win- 
dows in  the  castle  walls. 

A  low  thicket  extended  along  the  wall  and 
the  turnpike  road  which  lay  between  it  and  our 


42  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


house  and  led  to  the  so-called  castle  square  upon 
which  the  buildings  fronted.  This  road  termi- 
nated at  Fran  Roden's  grounds,  the  entrance  to 
which  was  concealed  by  a  magnificent  group  of 
old  chestnut-trees. 

After  a  little  while  my  grandmother  called  me 
into  the  second  room,  which  she  declared  she 
would  occupy,  and  we  began  considering  atten- 
tively how  we  would  place  our  furniture.  We 
consulted  Frau  Roden  about  a  servant  and  a 
speedy  supply  of  fuel,  and  finally  came  back  to 
the  front  room,  where  Lotta  still  stood  leaning 
against  the  window  like  a  black  shadow. 

I  went  up  to  her  softly  and  put  my  arm  around 
her  waist,  but  she  did  not  move  ;'she  nodded 
her  head  slightly,  as  though  responding  to  some 
one's  greeting,  and  looking  out  I  saw  Fritz 
Roden,  with  his  gun  over  his  shoulder  and  his 
dog  at  his  heels,  and  some  wild  birds  in  his 
hunting-pouch.  He  had  already  replaced  his 
hat  on  his  head,  and  went  on  toward  his  home, 
looking  neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left. 

"  The  bear  !  "  said  Lotta,  half  aloud. 


CHAPTER   III. 

OUR  first  few  weeks  passed  quickly.  Our 
furniture  had  arrived,  and  we  were  busily  em- 
ployed getting  our  rooms  in  order  ;  curtains  now 
hung  at  the  windows,  the  floors  were  carpeted, 
and  grandmother's  gigantic  four-post  bed,  with 
its  red  hangings,  stood  in  a  niche  that  seemed 
to  have  been  built  on  purpose  for  it  in  hel 
room. 

A  bright  wood  fire  burned  in  the  stove  ;  my 
sewing  lay  on  a  table  near  by  ;  grandmother 
looked  out  of  the  window,  and  Lotta  was  at 
her  easel,  while  Schnips  lay  contentedly  in  his 
basket  near  the  stove. 

Everything  was  as  it  had  been  in  Berlin,  and 
yet  how  great  the  difference,  I  thought ;  here  all 
was  so  much  better,  and  my  heart  began  to  beat 
quickly  as  I  heard  a  heavy  tread  upon  the  wooden 
step  outside,  and,  a  second  later,  a  knock  on  the 
door. 

Lotta  looked  up  from  her  canvas.   "  Goodness  ' 


44  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


there  he  is  again  ! "  she  muttered.  Then  the 
door  opened,  and  Fritz  Roden  stepped  across 
the  threshold. 

"  Good-morning,  ladies  !  Good-morning,  Frau 
von  Werthern  !  " 

He  had  three  roses  in  his  hand,  which  appeared 
slightly  frost-bitten,  and  he  handed  one  to  each 
of  us. 

"  These  are  the  last,"  he  said  as  he  did  so  ;  "I 
found  them  in  a  sheltered  spot, — and  now,  how 
are  you  all  ?  " 

He  drew  a  chair  near  the  window,  and,  sitting 
down,  answered  the  question  himself. 

"  Well  ?  Of  course,  how  could  you  be  other- 
wise, living  such  a  comfortable,  quiet  life  ? " 

"  We  are  getting  to  feel  quite  at  home,  dear 
Fritz,  and  we  have  you  and  your  dear  mother^ 
my  dear  Frederica,  to  thank  for  it." 

He  became  embarrassed,  and  made  a  slight 
bow  without  speaking.  Evidently  he  was  not 
accustomed  to  compliments. 

"  You  have  helped  us  so  greatly  in  all  our 
arrangements,"  I  said. 

"  How  about  the  chimney  in  the  other  room  ?  " 
he  asked,  leaning  back  ;  "  does  it  smoke  yet  ? " 

"  No,  I  thank  you  ;  it  seems  to  be  all  right 
now." 

Lotta  gave  her  easel  a  slight  push  back ;  sh<» 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  45 

was  always  impatient  when  household  matters 
were  discussed. 

"  What  are  you  painting  now,  Fraulein  von 
Werthern  ?  "  inquired  our  guest,  as  he  rose  to 
inspect  the  work  on  her  easel. 

"  A  glacier,"  she  answered. 

"  Why  do  you  not  take  some  subject  in  our 
immediate  neighborhood — the  old  Stettenburg, 
for  example,  which  frowns  so  defiantly  from  her 
steep  rocks  ?  " 

"  I  paint  what  pleases  me  ;  it  is  all  a  matter  of 
taste,"  she  answered  rudely,  with  a  slight  curl  of 
the  upper  lip. 

"What  do  you  do  with  all  these  pictures  you 
paint  ?  "  he  asked  coolly. 

Her  color  became  a  deep  red  and  she  gave 
him  an  angry  glance. 

But  he  did  not  seem  to  perceive  it ;  he  glanced 
quickly  at  the  walls,  which  were  richly  decorated 
with  Lotta's  works. 

"  Ah  !  "  he  said,  "  what  a  quantity,  almost  as 
many  as  there  are  yonder  in  the  rooms  of  Prince 
Otto." 

"  Are  there  fine  pictures  over  there  ? "  Lotta 
asked,  in  an  altered  tone. 

"  I  am  no  judge  myself."  said  Fritz  Roden, 
taking  his  seat  again  ;  "  but  I  once  heard  a  very 
fine  painter  from  Diisseldorf  say — and  he  was  no 


46  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

•loubt  a  judge — that  there  were  three  or  four  very 
line  ones,  but  that  the  rest  did  not  amount  to 
much.  There  are  so  many  amateurs'  pictures  in 
the  collection.  Prince  Otto  himself  painted  some 
of  them  during  the  two  years  he  spent  here, — was 
obliged  to  spend  here,  in  fact." 

"Who  is  this  Prince  Otto?"  asked  my  grand- 
mother. 

"  He  is  the  youngest  son  of  our  reigning 
prince,  and  the  favorite  of  his  ducal  mamma  ; 
otherwise  he  is  to  a  certain  extent  the  terror  of 
our  neighborhood." 

"  What  is  the  reason  of  that  ? "  Lotta  was 
greatly  interested  now. 

Fritz  Roden  did  not  pay  any  attention  to  this 
question,  and  changed  the  subject  by  asking  my 
grandmother  how  she  liked  the  pastor. 

Lotta  sat  quite  still  and  gazed  at  the  windows 
of  the  castle  opposite,  behind  which  the  rich 
hangings  glistened. 

"  Are  those  the  rooms  ? "  she  asked,  interrupt- 
ing our  conversation. 

"  What  rooms  do  you  mean  ? "  he  asked, 
"  those  where  the  pictures  hang  ? " 

"  Yes,  I  miss  the  Berlin  gallery  greatly,  for  I 
could  always  copy  there,"  and  Lotta  rose  sud- 
denly from  her  seat. 

"  Why  do  you  not  paint  from  nature,  Fraulein 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  47 

von  Werthern  ?  You  do  not  know  how  many  pict- 
uresque views  there  are  in  this  region  ;  and  few 
of  them  have  been  transferred  to  canvas  as  yet." 

She  shook  her  beautiful  head. 

"  I  prefer  to  copy.  I  wonder— if  I  should  be 
allowed  to  see  those  pictures  just  once  ? " 

"  Certainly  !  The  castle  is  open.  If  you  de- 
sire, I  will  go  across  with  you  at  any  time." 

"  Yes,  indeed  !  Let  us  go  immediately,"  she 
answered  with  animation. 

"  Immediately  ?  "  he  said,  smiling  ;  "  it  is  now 
three  o'clock,  and  will  soon  be  dark." 

"  I  beg  you,  let  us  go  at  once,"  and  she  went 
quickly  into  the  adjoining  room  and  returned 
soon,  with  her  wrap  thrown  over  her  shoulders, 
and  a  scarf  on  her  head. 

"  Now  I  am  ready,"  she  said  gayly. 

"  Will  you  not  accompany  us  ?  "  asked  Fritz, 
as  he  held  the  door  open  to  allow  my  sister  to 
pass  out. 

"Not  this  time,  thank  you,"  I  said,  "but  I 
will  prepare  the  supper.  Will  you  not  return 
and  sup  with  us  ?  " 

"  I  shall  not  have  time  to-night,  Fraulein 
Helena,"  he  answered  cordially.  "  I  will  come  in 
another  time,  perhaps  to-morrow  or  the  day 
after.  Farewell." 

They  went  away,  ancj  I  took  up  my  basket  of 


48  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


keys,  and  went  into  the  small  room  that  had 
been  placed  at  our  disposal  for  a  kitchen.  I 
realized  suddenly  that  I  was  in  a  very  disagreea- 
ble frame  of  mind.  For  years  I  had  been  ac- 
customed to  be  little  considered,  but  to-day  for 
the  first  time  something  within  me  rebelled.  I 
would  have  given  much — God  knows — to  have 
been  able  to  throw  my  bunch  of  keys  at  another's 
feet,  and  have  said  to  her :  "  Now  you  can  toil 
and  moil  with  the  prose  of  life  ;  you  can  make 
the  coffee  and  cut  the  bread  ;  I  have  no  time,  I 
must  away  with  my  friends  !  " 

The  little  room  was  still  as  death  ;  only  the 
kitchen  clock  continued  its  regular  ticking  and 
admonished  me  of  my  duty. 

The  tears  which  I  could  not  keep  back  rushed 
into  my  eyes  and  fell  upon  the  brown  coat  of  the 
hare  which  lay  on  our  kitchen  table.  Aimlessly 
I  stroked  its  soft  fur.  for  I  knew  Fritz  Roden 
had  laid  it  there.  Scarcely  a  day  passed  in 
which  I  did  not  have  a  similar  surprise  ;  some- 
times it  was  game,  sometimes  fowl,  sometimes 
delicious  fresh  butter.  But  to-day  it  seemed  to 
me  like  an  insult,  and  I  felt  like  throwing  the 
poor  dead  animal  out  of  the  window. 

"  It  is  revolting,"  I  said  aloud,  "  this  obtrusive 
charity."  And  I  ill-naturedly  took  up  the  poor 
object  of  my  wrath,  to  hang  it  in  a  cool  place, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  49 

and  there  in  the  mouth  of  the  little  lifeless  ani- 
mal was  a  r^d  rose.  I  could  not  help  being 
amused,  and,  as  I  laughed,  I  realized  how  silly  I 
had  been,  and  quickly  overcame  my  spiteful  feel- 
ings. So  I  took  the  rose  and  put  it  carefully  in 
water,  and  after  a  while  I  pinned  it  on  my  black 
dress  and  went  in  to  my  grandmother,  who  noticed 
it  at  once. 

"  Ah,  ha,  Helena  !  "  And  as  my  face  crim- 
soned, she  added  teasingly  :  "  You  have  already 
made  a  conquest  of  his  mother  :  I  dare  tell  it  to 
you,  for  it  will  not  make  you  vain,  Helena.  My 
God,  it  would  be  great  good  fortune." 

"  Ah,  grandmother,"  I  stammered,  breathless. 

"  I  am  very  tired,  child,"  she  began  again,  and 
stretched  out  her  hand  to  me.  "  Now  that  all  is 
over,  I  know  that  the  excitement  and  the  sorrow 
have  been  too  much  for  me  in  my  last  years. 
Ah,  Helena,  it  would  be  great  good  fortune,"  she 
repeated. 

Then  she  nodded  across  at  a  wide-open  win- 
dow in  the  castle.  There  stood  our  little  princess 
and  playfully  threw  kisses  at  us  ;  behind  her  we 
could  see  the  smiling  face  of  Fritz  Roden. 

"  She  is  very  beautiful,  our  Lotta,"  said  the 

old  lady.     "  I  think  she  becomes  more  beautiful 

every  day."     And  then,  fearful  of  wounding  me, 

she  turned  to  me  and  said  :  "  Beauty  has  many 

4 


50  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 


advantages,  Helena,  and  yet  " — here  she  stroked 
my  hair  softly  with  her  hands,  "  and  yet  she  is 
no  more  to  be  envied  than  you." 

I  kissed  her  dear  hands,  I  did  not  begrudge 
Lotta  a  single  charm. 

October  passed  quickly,  and  the  last  of  Novem- 
ber was  upon  us,  with  its  disagreeable,  dark,  misty 
days,  its  storms  and  its  rain.  In  Berlin  such 
weather  was  not  unusual  in  the  late  autumn  ;  but 
the  gas-lighted  streets,  the  heavy  shutters  on  the 
houses,  and  the  protection  the  great  mass  of 
buildings  gave  to  one  another,  all  prevented  our 
feeling  so  keenly  the  severe  weather ;  we  had 
never  known  how  the  storms  came  rushing  down 
from  the  mountains  and  roared  around  an  iso- 
lated house.  In  the  city  no  high  trees  moan 
and  sob  in  front  of  the  windows,  and  on  bleak 
nights  no  owl  hoots  from  the  steep-roofed 
gables. 

There  are  no  ghost  stories,  no  spirits  that  walk 
about  on  stormy  nights.  In  Berlin  all  had  been 
matter-of-fact  and  commonplace.  But  to  me 
there  was  poetry  here  in  every  nook.  The  wind 
sang  its  wild  songs,  and  I  often  lay  awake  far 
into  the  night  listening  to  it,  and  thinking  of  the 
old  stories  and  legends  which  Frau  Roden  had 
told  us  about  Rotenberg,  when  she  had  come  in 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  51 

at  twilight  for  a  little  chat  with  her  dear,  dear 
Fran  von  Werthern. 

We  took  walks  in  the  woods  near  by  with  Fritz 
Roden,  and  he  showed  us  the  place  where  an  old 
castle  had  formerly  stood  ;  but  now  a  group  of 
blackthorn  bushes  grew  on  the  mossy  ground. 

The  woods  were  very  still  in  their  winter 
sleep  ;  only  the  withered  leaves  rustled  beneath 
our  feet,  and  sometimes  a  crow  flew  upward, 
screaming  ;  but  nothing  else  disturbed  the  perfect 
quiet. 

Whenever  we  came  to  the  fir-trees,  with  their 
keen,  fresh  odor,  I  was  reminded  of  my  child- 
hood, and  remembered  with  what  ecstasy  I  had 
greeted  just  such  trees  on  many  a  Christmas 
eve.  And  Fritz  would  often  tell  us,  in  his  sim- 
ple, honest  manner,  of  the  time  when  he,  with  his 
brothers  and  comrades,  had  made  here  a  knight's 
fortress  and  there  a  robber's  cave,  or  had  hunted 
the  squirrels  and  gathered  nuts  ;  and  how,  when 
evening  came,  they  would  go  home  with  red 
cheeks  and  terrible  appetites.  Fritz  said  to  this 
day  no  apple  tasted  as  sweet  to  him  as  one  of 
the  pippins  from  his  mother's  cellar. 

We  were  much  together, — indeed,  daily. 

It  was  settled  that  we  were  to  dine  every  Sun- 
day at  the  Rodens'.  We  must  also  help  to  eat 
every  Martlemas  goose  that  was  killed,  and  assist 


52  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

at  the  breakfast  after  a  slaughtering.  It  was 
very  delightful  to  me,  so — homelike  that  I  could 
think  of  nothing  more  charming.  How  the  wind 
seemed  to  carry  my  feet  as  I  went  to  the  dear  old 
lady  ;  and  she  would  ask  my  advice  and  question 
me  as  to  whether  I  was  interested  in  this  or  in 
that.  And  then  she  would  stroke  my  cheeks  and 
say  :  "  I  like  to  see  such  color  ;  our  air  is  cer- 
tainly better  than  that  in  Berlin." 

"Ah,  a  thousand  times  better,"  I  answered,  as 
I  followed  the  dear  old  soul  around,  much  as 
Schnips  followed  Lotta.  Sometimes,  in  the  even- 
ings, Lotta  and  I  would  play  duets  ;  the  mother 
and  son  would  listen  devoutly,  and  Frau  Roden 
would  tell  us  of  the  songs  of  her  youth,  and  how 
fond  she  had  been  of  singing  "  From  the  Alps 
Resounds  the  Horn  ;  "  and  often  Lotta  would 
forget  her  high  and  mighty  manner  and  laugh  as 
heartily  as  any  ol  us. 

Yes,  those  were  happy  days,  in  spite  of  the 
care  which  had  followed  us  from  Berlin  into  our 
modest  little  home,  and  the  small  income  upon 
which  we  were  obliged  to  live.  I  was  often  forced 
to  go  begging  to  my  grandmother  with  empty 
hands. 

"  Helena,  Helena,  we  are  living  too  well,"  she 
said.  "  You  must  provide  a  simpler  table."  A 
simpler  table  ! 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  53 

Grandmother's  sight — thank  God  — was  poor  ; 
she  did  not  see  how  often  Lotta's  lip  curled  over 
our  "Lenten  diet,"  as  she  called  it.  I  was 
always  careful  to  give  her  the  best  the  "able 
offered  ;  but  she  grew  more  capricious  in  her 
temper  every  day, — nothing  pleased  her. 

To  me  it  was  always  spring,  each  day  seemed 
as  bright  and  warm  as  May.  There  comes  a 
time  in  every  life  when  there  is  just  such  bright- 
ness, and  every  day  is  a  festival.  For  the  same 
familiar  steps  sounded  frequently  upon  the  stair, 
and  when  he  came  in  the  room  it  seemed  to  be 
flooded  with  sunshine. 

"  It  was  a  great,  great  piece  of  good  fortune," 
grandmother's  eyes  said  constantly,  as  the  care- 
worn old  lady  leaned  back  in  her  easy-chair  at 
the  window. 

It  was  the  first  of  December  when  I  came 
back  from  the  village  with  Frau  Roden,  who 
had  already  been  making  a  few  purchases  for 
Christmas.  Wherever  we  went  we  were  received 
with  a  respect  which  bordered  on  reverence. 
The  whole  existence  of  this  woman  was  so  fresh- 
hearted,  so  healthy,  so  comfortable  ;  she  never 
gave  to  any  one  more  than  belonged  to  him,  but 
she  was  always  so  just  to  the  people  round 
about,  and  always  knew  the  right  thing  to  say. 

"Now  we  will  go  home,"  said  Frau  Roden  at 


54  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

last,  as  we  stepped  out  of  the  butcher's  large 
shop.  "  Positively,  child,  there  is  snow — these  are 
the  first  flakes." 

The  air  was  indeed  filled  with  the  great  white 
stars,  some  of  which  were  finding  a  resting-place 
on  the  black  ostrich  plumes  of  Frau  Roden's 
bonnet. 

"  Now,  dear  child,"  continued  the  old  lady  as 
we  turned  our  faces  homeward  ;  "  Fritz  has  been 
telling  me  how  beautifully  your  little  Lotta 
paints.  Why  could  she  not  turn  her  talent  to 
some  account,  in  order  to  help  you  ? " 

I  stared  at  the  speaker  stupidly. 

"  I  mean,  sell  the  pictures,"  she  explained. 

"  Lotta  paint  for  money  ?  Never  !  "  I  said 
emphatically. 

"  So  ?  Never  ? — Well,  you  are  harassed  with 
work,  while  the  little  princess  dabbles  in  colors 
at  her  pleasure.  You  are  doing  wrong." 

"  Ah,  but  Lotta  is  so  peculiar,"  I  said  apolo- 
getically. 

"  Peculiar  !  Is  she  ?  Well,  then,  what  will  she 
do  when  you  marry  ? " 

She  looked  at  me  so  steadily  that  I  felt  embar- 
rassed. 

"  Oh— I  ?  "  I  stammered. 

"  Yes  ;  do  you  not  think  there  are  many  men 
who  would  like  to  possess  so  sensible  a  girl  as 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  55 

you  ?  What  would  a  man  want  with  such  a 
spoiled  doll  as  Lotta  is  ?  Good  Heaven,  what 
would  I  do  if  such  a  little  princess  were  to  come 
into  my  house  ?  I  should  at  once  declare  that 
my  Fritz  had  lost  his  reason.  Just  imagine  !  she 
rises  at  nine  o'clock,  and  spends  her  whole  day  in 
painting,  and  playing  with  her  dog.  She  never 
thinks  of  giving  him  anything  to  eat,  but  she 
fondles  him  by  the  hour.  No,  dear  child,  God 
preserve  every  upright  man  from  such  a  wife. 
She  is  your  sister,  certainly — but  here  we  are  home 
again.  Listen,  dear  Helena,  it  is  my  habit  always 
to  have  punch  and  roast  apples  the  evening  the 
first  snow  appears.  And  I  want  your  grand- 
mother and  Lotta  and  you  to  spend  this  first 
evening  of  winter  with  us.  And  give  Frau  von 
Werthern  my  greeting." 

We  were  standing  at  her  door,  and  I  now  said 
"Good-by." 

"  Good-by,"  she  said,  and  gave  me  a  friendly 
nod  as  she  gathered  her  long  silk  mantle  around 
her  and  went  up  the  steps  ;  and  as  I  entered  the 
garden  I  turned  around  for  one  last  look,  and 
saw  her  still  standing  there,  and  her  son  with 
her.  They  both  looked  after  me  with  a  friendly 
nod. 

The  old  lady's  words  had  moved  me  deeply  ; 
they  came  to  me  like  a  message  from  another 


56  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


world  ;  and  while  I  walked  under  the  bare  trees 
toward  our  dwelling,  the  thought  which  up  to 
this  time  I  had  with  difficulty  suppressed,  took 
possession  of  my  heart  with  irresistible  force. 

I  saw  myself  in  the  house  yonder,  before  which 
I  had  just  been  standing :  I  went  through  ail 
the  rooms  ;  and  i  knew  I  had  a  right  to  be  there, 
a  sweet,  holy  right.  I  said  "  Mother  "  to  a  dear 
old  lady.  I  stood  by  her  side — by  his  side. 
From  the  moment  of  our  first  meeting  my  heart 
had  turned  to  him.  I,  who  had  never  had  a  love 
passion  and  who  had  long  believed  myself  beyond 
all  such  youthful  follies,  was  taken  captive  by 
the  earnest  eyes  and  the  still,  quiet  manner  of 
Fritz  Roden.  And  to-day — had  not  his  own 
mother  said  that  I  indeed  might  please  a  man, 
might  make  him  happy  ?  The  warm  blood 
rushed  to  my  cheeks,  and  I  sat  down,  almost 
dazed,  on  a  stone  seat  under  one  of  the  lindens, 
and  looked  with  burning  eyes  across  at  the  gables 
of  the  great  house. 

Ah,  "  her  sister  !  "  The  Cinderella  might  be 
pardoned  for  hoping,  as  countless  women  had 
done  before  her,  that  happiness  would  come  to 
her  too,  if  the  man  to  whom  her  heart  belonged 
would  choose  her  and  lead  her  to  a  home  of 
comfort,  peace,  and  joy. 

"  Ah,  no,  no  !  for  God's  sake  do  not  think  of 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,  57 


it;  do  not,"  something  within  me  whispered  r 
"the  awakening  would  be  too  fearful." 

"But  I  love  him,"  whispered  my  heart; 
"  nothing  can  alter  that  ;  I  love  him  and  shall 
always  be  true  to  him.  I  love  his  just,  unchange- 
able nature,  love  him  for  his  great,  warm  heart 
and  old-time  dignity, — I  love  Fritz  Roden." 
And  I  sprang  up  from  the  bench  with  glowing 
cheeks,  and  hastened  on  through  the  fresh-fallen 
snow,  as  though  fleeing  from  myself,  until  I 
stood  with  fluttering  heart  at  my  own  door. 

Within,  I  heard  a  strange,  sharply  accentuated 
voice.  As  I  entered,  the  small,  dark  daughter 
of  the  keeper  of  the  chateau  rose  and  bowed. 
A  pair  of  gleaming,  eager  eyes  looked  out  at 
me  like  stars  from  beneath  their  long,  dark 
lashes. 

These  eyes  were  not  faded,  and  were  the  only 
youthful  part  of  the  small,  pale  countenance 
whose  sharp  features  must  once  have  been  ex- 
tremely beautiful. 

Lotta  came  to  meet  me  with  a  joyful  cry. 
Fraulein  Anita  had  brought  to  her  permission 
from  the  court  chamberlain  to  copy  at  the  castle 
whenever  she  desired. 

"  At  the  castle  ? "  I  said  uneasily.  "  Will 
they  not  intrust  a  picture  to  my  sister  that  she 
may  paint  here  ? " 


58  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  I  am  very  sorry,"  said  Anita,  "  but  that 
would  not  be  allowed." 

"  But  the  rooms  are  cold,"  I  ventured  to 
demur. 

"  I  am  authorized  to  heat  them,"  she  answered 
quietly. 

"  You  will  be  afraid,  little  princess,"  I  said 
jestingly  ;  "  for  perhaps  there  is  a  white  lady 
haunting  the  rooms  over  there  ;  think  if  you 
were  alone " 

"  I  will  take  the  liberty  to  remain  in  the 
adjoining  room,"  interrupted  her  small,  dark 
visitor. 

I  remembered  suddenly  the  words  of  Frau 
Roden  :  "  She  is  no  companion  for  you,  child." 

"  And  I  will  take  the  liberty  of  accompanying 
my  sister,"  I  said,  as  I  looked  at  Anita,  whose 
eyes  seemed  to  attempt  to  penetrate  into  my 
very  soul,  as  if  she  would  ask  : 

"  Who  has  told  you  about  me,  or  my  past  ? 
What  do  you  know  of  human  love  and  hate  and 
passion  ? " 

But  she  only  said,  "  As  you  will,"  made  me  a 
slight  bow,  and  wished  us,  after  an  absent- 
minded  fashion,  an  Italian  a  rivederci,  and  was 
gone. 


CHAPTER   IV. 

"LITTLE  PRINCESS,"  I  said  to  Lotta,  who 
stood  with  sparkling  eyes  before  her  easel,  "  I 
think  it  is  hardly  the  thing  for  you  to  go  over 
there  to  paint." 

"  Because  you  begrudge  me  the  most  trifling 
diversion,"  said  Lotta,  as  her  beautiful  face  be- 
came pale.  "  Because  you  do  not  at  all  under- 
stand how  I  smother  and  suffer  in  this  seclusion, 
in  this  hiding-place, — neither  you  nor  grand- 
mother nor  any  one  else.  You  cannot  conceive 
what  I  endure.  You  cook  and  bake  and  are 
highly  delighted  if  you  make  a  good  pudding, 
and  I — oh,  I  stifle  !  " 

And  she  sank  upon  a  chair,  and  began  weep- 
ing so  bitterly  that  grandmother  came  out  fright- 
ened from  her  own  room. 

"  Why,  Lotta  !  "  was  all  she  said. 

But  Lotta  had  worked  herself  into  a  passion  ; 
she  raised  her  tear-stained  face,  and  the  words 
fairly  streamed  from  her  mouth.  "  What  is  our 
life  here  ?  We  rise  early,  and  then  spend  our 
evenings  sleeping,  and  in  between  times  one  long, 


60  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


endless  span  of  weariness.  And  what  do  I  hear  ? 
Helena's  ceaseless  questions  about  the  house- 
keeping expenses,  or  a  chapter  from  Scott  or 
Frederika  Bremer.  Who  comes  to  see  us  ? 
The  sober  wiseacre,  who — oh,  how  I  hate  him, 
this  village  bear  ! — or  do  you  think  it  is  a  pleas- 
ure for  me  to  see  that  egregious  pedant  from 
across  the  garden  coming  in,  in  his  top-boots,  to 
drink  a  cup  of  coffee  or  take  a  walk  with  us  ? 
What  is  there  to  see  in  this  town  ?  What  do  1 
care  that  the  pastor  lives  yonder,  and  the  biir- 
germeister  here,  or  that  Martin  Luther  compared 
this  handful  of  red  roofs  amid  the  trees  to  a 
dish  of  boiled  lobster  dressed  with  parsley  ?  Do 
you  think  it  any  pleasure  to  me  to  listen  to  that 
preacher  on  Sundays  with  no  teeth  in  his  mouth  ? 
— it's  enough  to  bring  sinful  thoughts  into  one's 
head  to  hear  him.  Or  to  admire  the  countrified 
toilets  of  the  Rotenberg  fine  dames  ?  Surely 
not.  Oh,  I  hate  this  crow's  nest,  this  owl's  re- 
treat, until  I  am  nearly  driven  to  despair.  And 
now  I  am  not  to  be  permitted  to  go  to  the  castle, 
because  that  woman  has  a  history.  Can  that 
injure  me  ?  Am  I,  then,  a  child  ?  " 

And  she  stopped  for  lack  of  breath. 

"  Ah,  little  princess,"  I  begged  anxiously. 

"  Let  me  do  as  I  please,"  she  threatened,  "  or 
I  shall  do  something  desperate." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  61 

"  Well,  well,  you  little  fury,"  said  our  grand- 
mother, smiling,  "  what  would  you  do,  for 
example  ?  " 

"  Oh,  there  are  many  things  possible,"  said  the 
girl  crossly.  "  Think  how  Erna  von  Wallinitz 
married  a  beer-brewer  out  of  despair." 

I  laughed  heartily  at  this,  but  my  grand- 
mother answered,  half  earnestly,  "  She  made  a 
respectable  match  ;  he  is  an  honest,  intelligent 
man." 

Lotta  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  You  will  not  prevent  my  going  over  there," 
she  asked,  half  commandingly,  half  questioningly, 
"  or " 

"  Or  you  will  marry  a  beer-brewer,"  said  my 
grandmother  jestingly,  as  she  took  up  her  knit- 
ting again. 

"  Oh,  there  is  also  the  gawky  agriculturist," 
murmured  Lotta,  and  she  threw  a  glance  at  me 
that  seemed  to  strike  to  my  very  heart.  Sud- 
denly she  flew  to  me  and  threw  her  arms  around 
my  neck.  "  No,  Helena,  that  is  impossible  ! 
that  is  impossible  !  "  And  she  laughed. 

"  What  do  you  mean  ? "  I  asked  severely,  as 
she  laid  her  inconsiderate  hand  on  my  heart's 
secret. 

"  What  do  I  mean  ?  What  a  dissembler  you 
are,  after  all,  Helena."  And  she  laughed  merrily. 


62  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"But,  never  mind,  sister  mine,  you  shall  not  be 
teased." 

I  had  told  grandmother  and  Lotta  of  our  invi- 
tation to  the  roast-apple  feast. 

My  grandmother  was  not  well  enough  to  go, 
and  Lotta  had  no  desire. 

"  It  is  such  a  bore,"  she  sighed.  "  I  beg  you 
to  spare  me  these  heathenish  rites  and  solemn 
discourses.  You  can  listen  to  it  all,  Helena, 
and  eat  the  roast  apples  for  me." 

"And  how  will  you  spend  the  evening?" 

"Sleeping,"  she  laughed,  "what  else?  I  wish 
you  much  pleasure,  sister  Helena,  and  present 
my  compliments  to  your " 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  said  sharply. 

"  Well,  good-night,"  she  said,  yawning,  as  she 
threw  herself  upon  the  sofa  and  took  up  a  book. 

I  stood  for  a  while  before  the  mirror  in  my 
bedroom  and  studied  my  face  ;  had  I  then  no 
beauty  whatever  ? 

"  Too  much  color,"  my  grandmother  had  al- 
ways said.  "  Her  hair  has  no  distinct  shade  at 
all,"  my  stepmother  had  once  remarked. 

Certainly  I  was  not  at  all  like  Lotta  :  but  no 
one  could  be  as  beautiful  as  she.  I  smoothed 
back  my  simply  arranged  hair  and  felt  the  thick 
knot  at  the  back,  then  I  fastened  on  my  cloak, 
sighing.  What  maiden  is  beautiful  enough  in 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  63 

her  own  eyes  when  she  wants  to  please  her 
lover  ? 

It  was  already  late,  and  I  hastened  through 
the  garden  and  across  the  court ;  the  December 
wind  howled  dismally  through  the  high  trees,  and 
hastened  my  footsteps  ;  I  went  quickly  into  the 
vestibule,  and  could  scarcely  shut  the  door. 

"  Here  you  are  ! "  said  Frau  Roden,  "  all  alone, 
through  the  night  and  wind." 

And  she  led  me  kindly  into  the  warm,  bright 
sitting-room,  where  upon  the  snow-white  covered 
table  were  the  punch  glasses,  the  spice  cake,  and 
the  fine  large  roasted  apples. 

I  made  my  excuses  for  my  sister  as  best  I 
could. 

"  Just  say  Lotta  would  not  come,  dear  child. 
Always  be  honest !  Had  I  invited  her  to  a  box 
in  the  theatre  at  Berlin  instead  of  my  own  sitting- 
room  here,  she  would  have  been  well  -enough 
to  go.  Well,  I  thank  you  all  the  more  for 
coming." 

I  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  Upon  her  face 
was  a  deep  flush,  and  the  manner  in  which  she 
rattled  the  platter  and  glasses,  and  then  sat  down 
in  the  corner  of  the  sofa,  knitting  rapidly,  had  an 
energy  and  haste  about  it  that  was  foreign  to  her. 

"  Sit  down,  my  good  child  ;  my  son  will  be  in 
immediately." 


64  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

And  she  drew  me  down  beside  her  on  the 
sofa. 

"  Are  you  not  well,  Frau  Roden  ? "  I  asked, 
for  her  hands  were  trembling.  » 

"Well  enough,"  she  answered,  "but — I  can- 
not tell  you.  We  think  we  are  swimming  on  a  sea 
as  clear  as  glass,  and  forget  that  there  are  storms, 
— and  lo  !  there  blows  a  hurricane  in  our  faces ; 
as  if  an  ocean  without  waves,  a  life  without  strife, 
were  possible.  But  when  the  storms  come  from 
the  side," — she  broke  off,  and  was  silent  for 
some  time.  Then  she  began  again  :  "  The  ex- 
perience we  gather  in  our  life's  journey  ne 
would  willingly  give  to  our  children.  We  would 
gladly  stand  by  their  side  with  counsel  and  aid  ; 
but  youth  will  go  its  own  way,  throwing  the 
gathered  gold  to  the  four  winds,  and  then  seek- 
ing with  much  trouble  and  disappointment  fresh 
nuggets  which  have  never  been  tested  in  the 
crucible. 

"  It  has  to  be,"  she  continued,  "  but  I  feel  un- 
speakably sorry  for  him,  for  her,  and  for  us  all. 

"  There  he  comes,"  she  added,  sitting  erect, 
and  trying  to  control  herself,  while  I  felt  my 
heart  throb  as  if  it  would  burst. 

The  next  moment  he  was  in  the  room. 

"  Alone  ? "  was  his  first  question,  as  he  gave 
me  his  hand. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  65 

"  The  little  princess  had  something  better  to 
do,"  said  his  mother. 

He  seated  himself  silently,  but  his  face  was 
dark. 

Several  minutes  passed,  during  which  no  word 
broke  the  painful  silence.  At  last  he  rose,  rang/ 
and  ordered  the  punch  to  be  brought  in,  then 
filled  the  glasses  and  passed  them  to  us.  Then 
he  reached  his  right  hand  across  the  table  to  his 
mother,  and  looked  at  her  with  a  supplicating 
glance. 

She  began  knitting  rapidly  again,  but  from  her 
mild  blue  eyes  I  saw  the  tears  fall  upon  her  work. 
"  Mother  !  "  he  said  beseechingly. 

Then  she  leaned  across  the  table  and  whis- 
pered something  in  his  ear.  I  did  not  hear  what 
it  was,  but  I  caught  a  few  words,  whose  signifi- 
cance I  did  not  then  understand. 

"  The  other,  Fritz,  the  other  !  " 

He  shook  his  head. 

"  The  other  !  "  she  begged  once  more. 

But  he  did  not  stir  ;  his  hand,  however,  still  lay 
on  the  tablecloth,  waiting  to  grasp  his  mother's. 

"  Let  us  talk  it  over  to-morrow,  Fritz,"  she 
said,  greatly  agitated,  as  she  seated  herself  again. 

He  remained  inflexible. 

"  Give  me  your  hand,"  he  begged;  "  it  cannot 
be  otherwise,  never  !  " 


66  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

She  laid  her  hand  in  his  for  a  moment,  then 
hastily  raised  her  handkerchief  to  her  eyes  and 
left  the  room  sobbing,  and  we  were  alone.  We 
could  hear  the  wind  rattling  the  wooden  shut- 
ters, and  moaning  through  the  leafless  tops  of  the 
chestnut-trees  ;  here  within  was  light  and  warmth 
and  two  young  throbbing  hearts  ;  he  and  I,  just 
as  I  had  pictured  it  a  thousand  times.  He  took 
his  glass  and  pushed  mine  toward  me. 

"  Drink  your  punch,  Helena,"  he  said  inatten- 
tively. 

Our  eyes  met  for  a  moment,  he  looking  like 
one  intoxicated. 

"  Helena,"  he  began  hesitatingly,  and  with  a 
sound  in  his  voice  that  made  me  lean  my  head 
back,  almost  breathless  with  happiness  !  "  He- 
lena, let  us  be  honest  toward  one  another." 

"  Surely  !  "  I  said. 

He  rose,  and  began  to  walk  up  and  down  the 
room. 

"  Why  did  not  Lotta  come  ?  "  he  said  abruptly, 
stopping  before  me. 

As  I  glanced  at  him,  the  intense  look  on  his 
face  embarrassed  me. 

"  She — I  believe — she  is  not  well,"  I  stam- 
mered. 

He  turned  away,  and  began  again  striding  rap- 
idly up  and  down  the  room.  At  last  he  came 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  67 

back,  sat  down  opposite  to  me,  and  seized  my 
hands.  But  he  let  them  fall  immediately,  as  his 
mother  at  this  moment  entered  the  room. 

<4 1  will  see  you  later,"  he  muttered,  and  went 
out. 

"  You  wonder  what  has  come  over  us  all," 
began  my  hostess.  "  I  may  as  well  tell  you  at 
once,  for  it  concerns  you  too.  Fritz — are  you 
ill  ? "  she  asked  anxiously. 

"  Ah,  Helena,  I  had  wished  it  otherwise,  my 
dear  child  ;  you  must  know  that  Fritz  loves  your 
sister  !  " 

Presence  of  mind  in  distress  was  a  trait  that 
had  come  to  me  from  my  father.  The  presage 
of  happiness  had  made  me  feel  so  weak  I  had 
nearly  fainted  ;  now  I  turned  calmly  toward  the 
tear-stained  face  that  was  regarding  me  so 
anxiously.  She  took  my  hand,  thinking  from 
my  fixed  stare  that  I  was  astounded. 

"  Ah,  you  are  surprised,  dear  heart,"  she  con- 
tinued, as  the  tears  still  fell  on  her  cheeks.  "  I 
was  also  surprised  when  I  heard  it.  We  were 
standing  on  the  steps,  looking  after  you  to-day, 
and  I  said — why  may  fnot  tell  you  ? — '  Fritz,  that 
is  a  girl  after  my  own  heart.'  Then  he  became 
pale,  and  turned  suddenly  and  left  me.  But 
when  I  was  resting  in  my  easy-chair  between 
five  and  six  o'clock,  taking  my  twilight  nap,  he 


68  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

came  in  and  sat  down  on  a  stool  at  my  feet,  as 
had  been  his  habit  when  a  child,  but  not  of  late 
years,  and  then — but  love  makes  fools  of  the 
most  rational.  She  has  certainly  turned  his 
brain.  From  the  first  moment  that  he  had  set 
eyes  on  Lotta,  he  had  been  resolved,  he  told  me. 
When  she  threw  back  the  veil  from  her  travelling 
hat,  he  had  been  dazzled  by  her  beauty.  At 
first  he  said  she  would  be  no  suitable  wife  for 
him, — it  would  be  madness  ;  but  now  he  sees 
clearly  that  life  would  be  nothing  without  her. 
Ah,  child,  what  can  a  distressed  mother  do  ?  If 
she  should  bring  the  stars  down  from  the  heavens 
and  lay  them  at  his  feet,  he  would  yet  want  the 
one  thing — the  girl  he  loved.  Ah,  I  know  how 
it  will  end  ;  he  will  be  unhappy,  very  unhappy  ; 
but  he  will  not  be  advised." 

"  Do  you  believe  that  Lotta  returns  his  affec- 
tion ? "  I  asked  quietly. 

"  No  !  But  what  does  that  matter  ?  She  will 
become  his  wife  for — his  money." 

I  was  silent.  Lotta's  words  came  into  my 
mind  :  "  It  is  so  dreadful  to  be  poor  !  " 

"  I  must  go  home,"  I  said,  and  rose.  I  felt 
almost  suffocated.  Frau  Roden  dried  her  eyes 
and  helped  me  on  with  my  cloak. 

"  Dear,  good  child,"  she  said,  and  patted  me 
on  the  cheeks,  "  I  have  loved  you  dearly  ;  we 


Twv  Diiigniers  of  One  Race.  69 

will  hold  together  ;  I  have  had  a  presentiment 
that  with  your  family  a  change  would  come  into 
my  life — but  this  is  not  the  change  I  looked  for- 
ward to." 

As  I  entered  the  hall,  I  saw  Fritz  Roden  stand- 
ing there  with  his  coat  and  hat  on. 

"  I  will  accompany  you,"  he  said,  and  we  went 
out  together.  The  wind  had  gone  down,  and, 
looking  up  through  the  leafless  branches  of  the 
trees,  we  could  see  the  moon  in  its  splendor, 
peeping  out  from  beneath  the  dark  clouds.  A 
deathly  stillness  reigned  over  the  house  and  gar- 
den, an  unspeakable  anguish  was  in  my  heart. 
I  went  on  quickly ;  only  to  be  alone  with  my 
torturing  pain  !  Only  to  be  alone  ! 

"  Helena,"  he  began,  "you  know  all.  Are  you 
angry  with  me  ? " 

Angry  that  he  loved  Lotta  !  This  one  ques- 
tion showed  me  my  error,  my  foolish  hopes,  in  a 
glaring  light.  Love  me,  notice  me,  when  she  was 
near  !  "  No,  certainly  not,"  I  answered  bitterly. 

"  Will  you  speak  to  her  for  me  ?  "  he  asked. 

And  as  I  remained  silent,  he  begged  me 
urgently.  "  I  cannot  do  it,  Helena.  When  she 
looks  at  me  from  under  her  long  lashes,  it's  all  up 
with  me.  I  am  diffident  and  awkward  ;  you  tell 
her  how  much  I  love  her,  and  that  I  will  fulfil 
her  every  wish  ;  she  shall  never  stumble  over 


70  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

the  rough  places  in  this  life  ;  I  will  take  her  in 
my  arms  and  carry  her  over  them  all — over  them 
all — over  them  all,  Helena." 

He  had  seized  my  hand  and  forced  me  to  stop. 
The  moon  was  shining  down  full  into  his  face, 
and  I  saw  his  earnest,  loving  eyes,  and  saw,  too, 
ho\v  his  mouth  twitched  nervously.  And  once 
more  he  repeated  earnestly  : 

"  Over  them  all,  Helena  !  " 

"  I  will  do  what  I  can,"  I  said,  scarcely  capa- 
ble of  speech. 

"  Ah,  thank  you,  Helena,  thank  you  !  "  he 
cried,  seizing  my  right  hand.  "  If  you  knew  what 
sleepless  nights  I  have  passed  on  her  account, 
what  a  martyrdom  I  have  lived  through  since  I 
first  saw  her  !  A  hundred  times  was  I  on  the 
way  to  reveal  my  secret  to  you  ;  she  loves  you 
so  tenderly." 

"  I  must  go  home,"  I  stammered,  trying  to 
free  my  hand  from  his,  but  he  held  it  the  more 
tightly. 

"  Do  not  let  me  wait  too  long  for  an  answer," 
he  begged ;  "  speak  to  Lotta  soon, — to-night  if 
possible,"  and  he  trembled  as  he  spoke.  "  I  am 
not  such  an  impatient  man,  .Helena,  but  this  sus- 
pense grates  on  every  nerve.  I  am  like  a  man  on 
the  rack.  You  will  speak  to  her  immediately, 
will  you  not  ? " 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  71 

"  And  if  Lotta  does  not  return  your  love  ?  " 

He  stared  -at  me.  "  That  is  not  possible  : 
This  affection  cannot  be  one-sided  ;  it  is  too 
strong,  too  earnest  and  true,  Helena  !  " 

I  must  have  laughed  bitterly  at  this,  for  he 
looked  suspiciously  in  my  face.  "  What  I  say 
has  a  presumptuous  sound,  has  it  not  ?  "  he  con- 
tinued, "  but  I  believe — I  am  almost  sure,  in  fact 
that  Lotta  is  not  indifferent  to  me.  You  have 
never  thought  about  it  at  all,  Helena  ;  only  a 
lover's  heart  can  discover  when  his  passion  is 
returned.  But  go  now,  and  be  my  good 
angel  !  " 

He  pressed  my  hand  again.  "  To-morrow, 
early,  send  me  a  single  line  ;  good-night  !  " 

I  groped  my  way  up  the  dark  steps  ;  but  my 
feet  suddenly  refused  to  do  me  further  service, 
so  I  sat  down  on  a  stair  and  tried  to  become 
master  of  my  storm-tossed  thoughts.  My  first 
thought  was  one  of  shame  and  intense  mortifica- 
tion. What  could  have  possessed  me,  vain,  pre- 
sumptious,  foolish  creature  that  I  was  ?  Each  day 
since  coming  to  this  place  did  I  live  over  again 
every  meeting  with  him,  and  I  could  find  no 
moment  when  he  had  given  me  reason  to  believe 
he  loved  me.  To  Lotta  he  had  come,  with  Lotta 
he  had  gone,  for  Lotta  only  he  had  had  eyes  ; 
I  had  only  been  looked  upon  as  "  her  sister,"  as 


72  Two  Daughters  of  One  Rate. 

the  guardian  or  nurse  of  the  little  princess.  Ah, 
Lotta,  I  begrudge  you  no  happiness  ;  only  not 
this — only  not  this  !  And  now  I  must  go  in 
and  speak  with  her.  As  if  Fate  had  not  made 
the  drink  bitter  enough  for  me.  What  had  I 
done  that  God  took  from  me  all  the  roses,  and 
left  me  only  the  thorns  ? 

So  I  sat  in  the  cold  upon  the  steps,  with  my 
feet  like  ice,  and  my  head  and  the  palms  of  my 
hands  burning.  I  was  almost  strangled  with 
shame  and  anger,  but  could  neither  find  tears 
nor  words  to  comfort  myself. 

Why  had  I  come  here  ?  Why  ?  At  last  I  rose, 
feeling  stiff  in  all  my  limbs,  and  went  in  through 
the  family  room  to  our  bedchamber.  A  lamp 
which  was  suspended  from  the  centre  of  the  ceil- 
ing was  burning.  Lotta  could  not  sleep  without 
a  light,  and  she  had  saved  this  one  by  tears  and 
pleadings  from  the  Berlin  auction-rooms.  It 
threw  a  rosy  glow  through  its  delicate  Bohemian 
glass  shade  upon  the  frescoes  and  stucco  gar- 
lands on  the  wall  and  upon  my  mother's  furni- 
ture. All  was  noiseless  within,  and  Lotta  was 
sleeping;  she  lay  on  her  white  pillow,  and  the 
hair,  which  I  did  not  braid  this  evening,  was 
tumbled  back  in  a  confused  mass.  She  breathed 
so  softly  that  one  could  hardly  be  sure  there  was 
life  in  the  beautiful  creature. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  73 

I  sat  down  on  the  bed  beside  her,  still  look- 
ing at  her  intently,  and  an  uneasy  feeling  came 
upon  me  as  I  looked.  She  seemed  so  helpless 
in  her  sleep,  and  there  was  a  drawn  look  around 
her  mouth  that  was  seldom  seen  there  ;  there 
was  a  something  in  her  countenance  that  dis- 
turbed me,  disturbed  me  against  my  will.  She 
could  not  help  being  attractive  ;  could  not  pre- 
vent the  "  bear "  falling  hopelessly  in  love  with 
her.  For  in  every  fairy  tale  the  beast  falls  in 
love  with  the  beauty.  It  was  her  destiny,  her 
fate — she  dare  not  scorn  it ! 

And  he  ?  No  !  I  whispered,  and  knelt  by  the 
sleeping  girl.  No  one  had  done  me  any  wrong. 
I  alone  was  to  blame.  And  then  the  hot  tears 
came,  and,  as  I  tried  to  stifle  my  sobs,  a  half  cry 
broke  from  me. 

Lotta  was  awakened  suddenly  from  her  sleep, 
and  looked  toward  me,  while  I  put  my  handker- 
chief in  my  mouth  and  forced  myself  to  appear 
composed. 

"  For  God's  sake,  Helena,  what  has  hap- 
pened ? "  she  cried,  trying  to  straighten  her  dis- 
ordered hair. 

"  Nothing,  Lotta,  nothing ;  only  a  message  I 
have  for  you  ;  but  first  be  quiet." 

"  A  message  ?  Haven't  you  been  crying  ? " 
she  queried. 


74  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


''  Now  listen  very  attentively,  little  princess, 
and  let  me  speak." 

"  That  sounds  very  solemn,  Helena." 

"  It  is  something  very  serious,  Lotta." 

She  grew  a  little  uneasy  now. 

"  Well,  go  on,  speak  out,"  she  said. 

"  Fritz  Roden  loves  you,  Lotta,  and  wishes  to 
make  you  his  wife." 

Lotta  gave  me  one  glance,,  and  then  threw  her- 
self back  on  her  pillow  and  began  laughing ;  she 
laughed  until  the  tears  rolled  down  her  cheeks ; 
the  merriment  came  from  her  very  heart.  I  have 
never  heard  any  other  laugh  as  contagious  and 
as  hearty  as  Lotta's.  I  threw  my  arms  around 
her  and  laughed  too,  although,  my  heart  was 
breaking,  and  mine  was  a  sad  laugh. 

"  Oh,  I  shall  die  !  "  she  cried  at  last,  drying 
her  eyes. 

"  Did  you  not  know  that  he  loved  you  ?  Did 
you  never  perceive  it  ? "  I  asked,  almost  afraid 
of  the  answer. 

"  Oh,  of  course !  He  fell  in  love  with  me  the  first 
day  he  saw  me.  One  had  to  be  blind  not  to  see 
that.  But  that  he  wanted  to  marry  me, — that  is 
so — so — "  and  again  she  broke  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"But  it  is  no  laughing  matter,"  I  said,  pro- 
voked, and  shook  her  by  the  shoulders,  "  Lotta, 
be  serious  for  once,  I  pray  you," 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  75 

Then  she  became  quiet  and  looked  at  me. 

"  What  do  you  want  me  to  say  ?  "  she 
asked. 

"  Do  you  not  love  him,  little  princess,  not  even 
a  little  ?  "  I  questioned.  "  Do,  for  heaven's  sake, 
be  earnest !  It  is  not  a  rose  that  you  are  offered, 
it  is  a  true  heart,  the  unconditional  confidence 
and  trust  of  an  honest,  good  man." 

"  Ah  !  do  not  become  sentimental,"  she  said 
sulkily. 

"Lotta,"  I  begged,  "that  is  no  answer.  I 
only  want  you  to  consider  it  well.  I  would  not 
speak  with  you  at  all,  only  I  know  he  loves  you 
well — only  as  a  good  man  can  love  a  woman — 
and  that  you  will  love  him,  must  love  him,  in 
return,  for  he  is  unquestionably  good — 

"Ah,  bah!  that  is  sheer  nonsense,  Helena; 
go  to  sleep,"  she  interrupted. 

"No,  no,  Lotta;  promise  me  that  you,  if  you 
become  affianced  to  him,  will  do  all  in  your 
power  to  return  his  love  ;  become  his  wife  with 
this  purpose  in  view,  Lotta,  or  else  give  him 
an  honest  No  !  He  may  not  be  very  miser- 
able." 

"  How  tragic  !  "  she  said.  "  Now  let  me  go 
asleep.  I  am  tired  and  have  had  enough  to 
think  of  to-day  since  grandmother  ordered  me  to 
be  more  considerate." 


76  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 


She  threw  her  arms  around  my  neck  and  gave 
me  a  kiss,  and,  before  I  was  ready  to  retire,  was 
sound  asleep  again. 

Poor  Fritz  ! 

I  shed  no  more  tears  that  night,  and  toward 
morning  I  fell  into  an  uneasy  sleep,  dreamless 
but  heavy.  When  I  wakened  grandmother  was 
by  my  bed. 

"  Are  you  ill,  Helena  ?  For  God's  sake  do  not 
get  ill  !  " 

"  I  am  quite  well,"  I  answered,  as  the  memory 
of  yesterday  came  slowly  back  to  me.  "  I  will 
rise  immediately." 

"  I  heard  you  moaning,"  she  answered.  "  I 
have  been  awake  a  long  time.  Helena,  I  want 
to  speak  to  you — is  she  sleeping  ?  "  and  the  old 
lady  pointed  toward  Lotta's  bed. 

"  Yes,  she  never  wakes  until  eight  o'clock." 

"  Do  not  be  startled,  Helena  ;  I  have  had  a 
letter  from  Hans,"  whispered  grandmother. 

"  How  is  he  ?  What  is  he  doing — what  does 
he  say  about  papa's  death  ?  "  I  asked. 

Grandmother  shook  her  head,  and  smoothed 
her  white  hair  nervously  with  her  hands,  and 
whispered  to  me  : 

"  Badly,  Helena  ;  the  letter  was  very  sad.  He 
has  been  very  ill  and  needed  money,  and  no 
inconsiderable  sum." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  77 

"  111  !  Ah,  grandmamma,  and  we  have  noth- 
ing !" 

"No,  we  have  nothing,"  she  repeated.  "I 
cannot  help  him,  and  if  he  gets  worse  and  dies, 
as  he  threatens — well,  he  must  grow  worse  and 
die  ;  I  can  do  nothing." 

I  did  not  answer.      I  knew  that  she  was  right. 

"  Please  do  not  say  anything  to  Lotta  about  it ; 
you  know  how  devoted  she  is  to  him.  And  she 
will  not  see  it  as  we  do,  nor  will  she  understand 
that  the  money  is  all  gone." 

"  Will  you  answer  his  letter,  grandmamma  ?  " 

"  No,"  she  responded. 

"  How  much  does  Hans  want  ? " 

"Eight  hundred  thalers.  He  has  an  oppor- 
tunity to  engage  in  some  business  from  which  he 
hopes  to  make  great  profits.  I  would  willingly 
grant  this  last  request,  but  " — and  she  shrugged 
her  shoulders — "  where  am  I  to  get  it  ?  You  must 
try  and  influence  Lotta  if  you  can  ;  last  evening 
she  was  almost  unreasonable  ;  she  does  not  seem 
to  understand  that  we  have  given  up  our  luxuri- 
ous life  because  we  were  forced  to  do  so.  She 
came  to  me  with  a  lengthy  order  she  had  writ- 
ten to  a  Diisseldorf  firm  for  artists'  materials, 
amounting  to  almost  ten  thalers.  I  tore  the 
letter  in  two.  Then  she  cried  as  if  the  direst 
misfortune  had  come  to  pass.  With  Hans's  un- 


7  8  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

happy  letter  I  also  received  another,  a  bill  from 
Gerson  for  a  new  black  costume  which  Lotta 
had  ordered,  and  which  is  to  come  to-day.  It  is 
certainly  not  necessary  for  Rotenberg  :  I  do  not 
see  how  it  is  to  be  paid." 

She  arose  wearily  and  turned  and  went  out. 

There  are  days  when  one  knows  it  will  not  be 
clear  :  times  when  one  almost  believes  the  sun 
will  never  shine  again,  and  when  our  very  exist- 
ence lies  as  a  burden  on  our  souls. 

I  rose  and  dressed  myself  quickly.  I  heard 
the  old  servant  moving  about  in  the  kitchen  ; 
soon  she  came  into  the  next  room,  and  I  heard 
her  voice. 

"  Fraulein  !     Fraulein  Helena  !  " 

What  did  she  want  ?  Then  I  remembered  the 
word  that  Fritz  Roden  wanted,  the  word  for 
which  he  had  begged  ;  but  I  had  no  word  for 
him. 

Cautiously  I  went  over  to  Lotta's  bed  ;  she 
reached  out  her  small  hand  and  caught  the  fold 
of  my  dress. 

"  Helena,  one  moment,"  she  begged,  in  a  weak 
voice. 

"  What  is  it,  Lotta  ?  " 

"  Helena,  I  have  had  such  fearful  dreams, 
though  of  course  that  is  nothing  very  unusual  ; 
I  want  to  ask  you  a  question.  Do  you  consider 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  79 

Fritz  Roden  a  good  character  ?  Answer  hon- 
estly, Helena,  you  know  what  I  mean — generous, 
in  no  way  narrow  or  egotistical,  a  gentleman  ?  " 

"  O  God,  Lotta,  do  not  ask  me  !  "  I  begged. 
"  I  consider  him  one  of  the  best  men  in  the 
world  !  " 

"  But  answer  me  !  Do  you  believe  he  is  a 
gentleman  ?  " 

"Yes,  I  do  believe  it,"  I  murmured. 

She  was  silent,  but  looked  up  at  me  with  a 
face  as  white  as  the  linen  on  which  it  rested, 
and  with  an  earnest,  frightened  expression. 

"  Well,  let  him  come,"  she  said,  almost  de- 
spairingly. 

"You  will  accept  him?"  I  stammered.  "Lotta, 
do  you  really  love  him?  Otherwise — my  God, 
Lotta ' 

"  I  will  accept  him,"  sounded  back  from  the 
pillow  in  a  half-smothered  tone. 

Almost  dazed  I  stepped  into  the  next  room. 

The  woman  was  still  standing  waiting  for  the 
money  to  buy  milk  and  rolls.  I  tore  a  leaf  out 
of  my  account-book,  and  wrote  "  Yes  "  on  it. 
Then  I  folded  it  and  addressed  it. 

"  Go  up  to  the  great  house  and  give  that  to 
Herr  Roden,  but  to  no  one  but  himself." 

She  gave  me  a  sly  look  and  went,  but  at  the 
door  she  turned  around. 


8o  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Then  what  the  people  say  is  true,"  she 
began.  "Ah,  I  will  not  speak  of  it,  Fraiilein 
von  Werthern." 

"  Of  what  ?  " 

"  That  you  are  Fritz  Roden's  sweetheart ! 
But  it  must  be  true,  he  gets  a  good  wife.  When 
you  are  married,  I  shall  go  to  the  church.  You 
may  not  believe  it,  Fraiilein,  but  he  would  not 
take  every  one  ;  a  great  many  fine  girls  have  run 
after  him.  But  the  Rodens  have  always  kept 
themselves  apart.  Ah,  do  not  blame  me  for 
speaking,  Fraulein  ;  I  shall  go  at  once." 

She  went.  I  had  no  word  of  blame  for  the  stu- 
pid creature.  I  covered  my  face  with  my  hands. 
I  Fritz  Roden's  sweetheart !  Ah,  great  God  ! 

At  eleven  o'clock  everything  was  in  readiness 
for  the  lover's  reception.  My  grandmother  sat 
in  her  accustomed  easy-chair  in  her  black  silk 
gown,  with  her  knitting  in  her  hand,  but  she 
made  no  pretence  of  work,  I  noticed  ;  the  unex- 
pected news  that  Fritz  Roden  and  Charlotte  von 
Werthern  were  betrothed  seemed  to  bewilder 
her.  "  Did  he  mean  Lotta  ?  Are  you  sure  he 
really  meant  Lotta  ? " — she  had  already  asked 
me  several  times. 

"  Yes,  dearest  grandmamma." 

"  And  she  will  have  him  ?  Lotta,  you  are 
going  to  marry  Fritz  Roden?" 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  81 

"  Yes,"  came  the  answer  more  than  once  from 
the  white  lips  of  the  girl.  She  stood  with  list- 
less arms  at  the  large  stove  ;  she  had  something 
thrown  around  her  shoulders,  and  looked  chilly 
and  pale  and  singular.  The  luxuriant  hair  that 
had  always  hung  down  her  back  was  fastened 
up  to-day  on  her  head,  and  gave  one  the  impres- 
sion that  she  was  years  older  than  she  really  was, 
and  yet  she  was  startlingly  beautiful,  more  beau- 
tiful than  I  had  ever  seen  her  before. 

When  the  well-known  step  sounded  outside, 
she  shivered  and  became  pale  almost  to  livid- 
ness  ;  she  seemed  as  if  she  wanted  to  escape  ; 
then  she  fixed  her  wandering  glance  upon  a  pic- 
ture which  hung  over  the  sofa — Hans  in  full 
uniform  ;  a  finely  finished  photograph,  that  I 
had  purchased  with  the  limited  pocket  money  I 
had  received.  She  was  nervous  and  agitated, 
one  could  see  at  a  glance. 

My  grandmother  went  to  the  door  when  she 
heard  the  knock,  and  opened  it  herself.  As  she 
did  so,  I  went  into  my  own  room  and  shut  the  door 
behind  me,  to  hear  nothing — to  see  nothing — • 
only  to  be  alone  with  my  deadly  sorrow.  Could 
it  be  possible  that  one  could  endure  such  agony 
and  not  die  ?  So  I  stood  and  heard  the  voices, 
that  sounded  muffled  and  indistinct  on  my  ear, 
heard  the  agitation  in  the  voice  that  had  yester- 
6 


82  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

day  been  so  full  of  anguish,  saw  his  face  before 
me  so  earnest  and  quivering  with  emotion.  I 
nervously  clutched  the  handle  of  the  balcony 
door,  and  looked  out  at  the  dreary  wintry  land- 
scape with  desolation  in  my  heart,  and  no  hope 
to  which  to  cling. 

A  light  step  sounded  behind  me,  and  Lotta 
sank  suddenly  in  a  chair  by  my  side.  She  did 
not  look  like  a  joyous  bride. 

"•Come  with  me,"  she  whispered,  and  grasped 
my  hand.  "  I  am  going  to  his  mother." 

She  looked  at  me  so  piteously  that  I  could  not 
do  otherwise  than  consent. 

We  took  our  hats  and  cloaks  and  went  out 
together  into  the  living-room.  He  was  holding 
my  grandmother's  hands  and  talking  to  her. 
His  happiness  had  made  him  talkative. 

He  was  assuring  her  of  his  great  love  and  of 
his  thankfulness,  and  the  old  lady  stroked  his 
blond  head,  as  she  said,  "  I  believe  you,  dear 
Heir  Roden,  I  believe  you." 

I  gave  him  my  hand,  but  could  not  look  at 
him.  He  whispered  his  heartfelt  thanks  to  me, 
and  then  rose  hurriedly. 

"  My  mother  is  waiting,"  he  said. 

"  Helena  is  coming  with  us,"  said  Lotta,  like 
an  alarmed  child. 

He  was  silent ;  he  had  hoped  to  go  alone  with 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  83 

Aer,  but  she  caught  hold  of  the  folds  of  my 
dress,  and  so  we  three  set  out  on  the  now 
familiar  path,  the  bare  branches  of  the  birch- 
irees  drooping  above  us.  He  walked  beside  the 
slender  figure,  but  her  finger-tips  scarcely  rested 
•on  his  arm  ;  when  they  reached  the  court  she 
4rew  her  hand  back. 

<;  You  had  better  go  up  the  walk  by  yourself." 

"  Let  me  have  the  joy  of  seeing  you  by  my 
side,"  he  begged,  drawing  her  arm  once  more 
within  his.  "Yonder  is  my  mother  standing  at 
the  window." 

So  they  crossed- the  court  together,  and  Frau 
Roden  came  to  the  door  to  meet  them  when  she 
saw  them  approaching.  The  tears  were  running 
down  her  cheeks  as  she  held  out  both  hands  to 
Lotta.  "  God  knows  best,"  she  said,  and  drew 
the  young  girl  to  her  heart. 

And  when  we  had  followed  her  into  the  sitting- 
room,  she  repeated  : 

"  God  knows  best.  Oh,  if  you  will  but  make 
my  son  happy,  he  is  my  all " 

She  sank  in  her  chair  and  began  weeping  loud 
and  bitterly.  Lotta  stood  opposite  her,  perfectly 
silent.  She  and  we  all  felt  that  the  old  lady 
doubted  her  capability  to  make  Fritz  happy. 
The  b-idegroom-elect  perceived  this  with  bitter- 
ness, 


84  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Mother  !  "  he  called  sharply. 

Then  she  dried  her  eyes,  and  tried  to  act  as 
though  all  were  well.  She  went  to  her  escritoire 
and  took  from  a  small  compartment  a  glistening 
ornament  in  the  shape  of  a  cross,  and  set  with 
diamonds. 

"This,"  she  said,  the  tears  shining  the  while 
in  her  kindly  eyes,  "  was  given  me  by  my  dear 
husband  on  the  day  on  which  we  were  betrothed. 
It  is  for  you  now.  May  it  adorn  as  happy  and 
contented  a  bride  as  was  I  when  first  I  wore  it." 

The  beautiful  girl  held  the  glittering  cross  in 
her  hand  without  the  slightest  sign  of  emotion  ; 
then  she  leaned  over  and  kissed  the  donor,  and 
murmured  some  words  of  thanks. 

Fritz  Roden  now  opened  the  door,  and  called 
through  the  hall  with  a  lion's  voice : 

"  Here,  my  people  !  Mamselle,  Rieke,  Mina ! 
Come  here,  all  of  you  !  " 

And  the  whole  household  soon  appeared,  even 
to  the  last  kitchen  maid  and  the  coachman  and 
the  stable-boy.  Fritz  put  his  arms  around  Lotta's 
waist  and  drew  her  to  him. 

"Here,  my  dear  bride,  are  your  people  !  To- 
morrow you  can  have  a  holiday  in  honor  of  our 
betrothal.  You,  Mamselle,  can  arrange  for  it.  Ah, 
David,  come  here,  and  give  me  your  hand.  The 
first  time  she  and  I  ever  saw  each  other,  you  were 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


driving  us.  You  brought  the  bride  here,  and 
you  shall  drive  us  to  our  wedding.  Shall  he  not, 
little  Lotta  ?  " 

I  wondered  whether  she  thought  of  that  first 
evening,  and  of  the  spiteful  comments  she  had 
made.  She  stared  above  the  heads  of  the  people 
into  the  empty  air,  and  a  deep  flush  overspread 
her  face.  She  seemed  to  answer  with  a  slight 
bend  of  the  head,  and  turned  away  quickly^ 
So  Fritz  Roden  had  to  take  all  the  handshak- 
ings and  congratulations  upon  himself,  while  she 
stood  with  tightly  compressed  lips  at  the  window. 
In  her  bearing  there  was  something  of  impa- 
tience, as  if  she  would  throw  a  burden  from  her 
shoulders. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Two  weeks  had  passed  since  the  betrothal.  A 
wonderfully  short  time  !  But  it  lay  like  lead 
upon  all  our  hearts  ;  the  only  sunbeam  to  be 
found  was  in  Fritz  Roden's  eyes.  Every  day  at 
five  o'clock  he  came  up,  and  remained  with  us 
until  evening.  Generally  he  had  a  little  package 
in  his  hand,  or  playfully  hidden  behind  him,  and 
he  would  hide  it  in  Lotta's  work-basket,  or  throw 
it  unexpectedly  into  her  lap. 

There  were  odd  gifts  wrapped  in  these  little 
parcels,  such  as  only  a  man  living  in  a  little  town 
would  purchase :  fancy  writing-paper  and  painted 
envelops  ;  wonderful  work-bags  with  useless  scis- 
sors ;  and  thimbles  much  too  large  for  Lotta's 
finger  ;  perfumes  that  were  simply  frightful,  and 
time  and  again  costly  bouquets  of  fragrant  vio- 
lets ;  these  last  at  least  were  appreciated. 

I  was  sorely  puzzled  by  Lotta's  manner  of 
receiving  these  gifts.  She  was  always  coolly 
gracious  ;  but  I  often  thought  she  would  have 
thrown  them  out  of  the  window  before  his  very 
face  had  she  dared. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,  87 

She  put  them  all  together  in  a  bureau  drawer 
which  she  had  emptied  for  that  purpose. 

She  avoided  his  tender,  loving  glance  persist- 
ently ;  and  his  playful  manner  received  from  her 
but  slight  notice,  and  never  any  response. 

She  had  certainly  become  very  quiet  lately, 
with  so  proud  a  manner  that  a  lover  less  enthu- 
siastic than  Fritz  Roden  would  have  desponded. 
In  these  days  she  obtained,  unperceived  by  him, 
such  control  over  him  that  she  managed  him 
exactly  as  she  had  done  the  puppets  in  her  thea- 
tre, when,  as  a  child,  she  had  pulled  the  silk 
cords  at  pleasure. 

She  never  took  his  arm  when  we  went  for  our 
walks,  and  gently  but  positively  refused  to  make 
any  calls  upon  the  friends  of  the  Rodens  who 
lived  in  that  vicinity,  because  she  was  in  deep 
mourning.  He  let  that  pass.  In  fact  she  did  as 
she  had  always  done — as  she  pleased. 

He  came  no  more  in  top-boots,  because  she 
had  expressed  her  distaste  for  them.  He  looked 
more  like  what  he  was,  the  owner  and  manager 
of  a  large  estate  ;  and  he  left  off  wearing  his 
gay-colored  cravats,  because  she  did  not  consider 
them  seemly.  In  fact  he  humored  her  slightest 
whim,  and  seemed  only  to  have  one  desire — to 
gratify  her  wishes  before  they  were  expressed. 

Grandmother  looked  on  apathetically.     Dear 


88  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

old  lady  !  she  had  altered  greatly  ;  now  that  thfc 
excitement  and  tumult  of  the  sad  change  she 
had  been  compelled  to  make  was  over,  it  was  all 
the  more  noticeable.  She  was  more  silent  than 
ever,  and  deeply  absorbed  in  religious  medita- 
tions. 

Frau  Roden  came  sometimes  with  her  son, 
and  then  she  went  to  grandmother's  room,  where 
they  two  talked  over  old  times. 

Fritz  would  sit  down  opposite  Lotta,  and  I 
would  sit  alone  at  my  sewing-table. 

It  was  just  before  Christmas.  A  cold,  rainy, 
disagreeable  day.  Lotta  sat  with  clasped  hands 
and  looked  out  of  the  window  ;  her  profile  was 
turned  toward  her  lover,  and  he  was,  as  usual, 
lost  in  admiration  as  he  gazed  at  her. 

At  last  she  turned  from  the  window.  "  Is  it 
not  true,  Fritz,"  she  said,  quite  carelessly,  "  that 
you  are  a  wealthy  man  ? "  • 

He  started  and  laughed,  and  reached  out  his 
hand  for  hers.  "  Well,  little  princess,  we  will 
have  enough  to  live  on." 

"  I  want  to  ask  you  something,"  she  said,  "but 
I  do  not  wish  Helena  to  hear." 

I  rose  at  once.  "  I  will  go  and  make  the  cof- 
fee," I  said,  smiling. 

A  quarter  of  an  hour  later  I  went  into  our 
sleeping-room  and  found  that  the  door  into  the 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  89 

adjoining  room  was  open,  and  as  I  hastened  to 
close  it  I  heard  Fritz  say  :  "  I  will  do  anything 
you  wish,  Lotta,  but  not  that ;  it  would  be 
most  imprudent."  After  a  while  Lotta  came 
into  our  room  and  went  over  to  the  mirror  to 
arrange  her  hair.  I  saw  that  her  hands  trembled, 
and  a  dark,  red  color  burned  on  her  cheeks. 

"Helena,"  she  said,  "we  believed  that  at 
least  he  was  a  gentleman.  We  were  mistaken." 
With  a  violent  movement  she  opened  the  ward- 
robe door  and  took  down  her  hat  and  coat.  "  I 
will  be  back  soon,"  she  said,  "  and  in  the  mean 
time  you  can  entertain  my  precious  lover."  And 
she  was  gone. 

As  I  went  hastily  into  the  living-room,  I  found 
Fritz  before  the  piciure  of  Hans,  looking  at  it 
with  knitted  brows. 

"  Where  is  Lotta  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"  She  has  gone  out.     Did  you  not  know  it  ?" 

"  No."  He  appeared  disturbed.  "  She  is 
vexed  with  me,"  he  said.  "  Do  you  where  the 
obstinate  child  has  gone  ?  " 

.1  shook  my  head.  "  She  will  be  back  soon," 
I  said. 

"  Well,  I  will  go  out  and  find  her,"  he  said 
quietly,  and  went  as  he  spoke.  But  he  did  not 
succeed,  for  she  came  back  shortly  and  alone- 

"  Where  have  you  been,  Lotta  ? "  I  asked- 


90  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Oh,  just  out — a  short  distance,"  was  the  an- 
swer. 

After  a  time  Fritz  Roden  came  back  too.  He 
carried,  as  always,  a  package  in  his  hand,  which 
he  laid  by  Lotta's  cup,  and  looked  at  her  be- 
seechingly. But,  for  the  first  time,  no  notice  at 
all  was  taken  of  the  little  love  gift ;  not  once  did 
she  glance  even  inadvertently  toward  it,  though 
it  lay  so  close  to  her  cup. 

"  Not  cross,  little  princess  ? "  he  said  at  last, 
jestingly. 

She  gave  him  one  look  ;  it  was  a  glance  of 
unspeakable  contempt.  "Oh,  no,"  she  said, 
"  but  I  could  not  suffer  you  to  be  so  imprudent. 
I  will  take  nothing  more." 

He  laughed  heartily.  "  Lotta,"  he  cried,  "that 
was  spoken  like  a  wife  whose  husband  had  re- 
fused to  grant  her  request.  You  maidens  and 
wives  are  extravagant  in  your  whims.  But  see, 
sweetheart,  here  are  chocolates  and  dates,  in 
these  little  bonbonnicres" 

He  had  opened  the  package  and  held  up  be- 
fore her  the  little  silk  bags. 

"  I  am  no  child — I  thank  you,"  she  responded, 
and  took  a  fresh  cracker  and  bit  it. 

"  Shall  I  go  away  ? "  he  asked  pleasantly. 

"  Pray  do,"  she  responded  with  a  graceful 
movement  of  her  hand  'toward  the  door.  It 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  91 


seemed  almost  as  though  she  were  laughing. 
And  that  hurt  him. 

He  sprang  up.  *'  Then  farewell,  for  you  are 
incorrigible." 

She  rose  likewise.     "  Adieu  !  " 

At  the  door  he  turned,  anger  and  good  humor 
each  striving  for  mastery  in  his  face.  He  came 
back,  and  raised  her  chin  gently  until  he  looked 
full  in  her  face,  and  asked : 

"  Do  we  love  each  other,  or  not,  Lotta  ? " 

"  I  hardly  consider  it  worth  while  to  think 
about  that,"  she  answered  coldly. 

"  Lotta  !  "  he  cried,  shocked.  But  she  went 
past  him  quickly  into  our  sleeping-room.  He 
stood  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  then  went  out,  for- 
getting to  say  good-by. 

To  me  the  whole  scene  was  altogether  inex- 
plicable. "Lotta,"  I  said,  as  I  went  after  her,  "  I 
do  not  desire  to  interfere  in  your  affairs,  but  it 
was  not  right  in  you  to  send  him  away  as  you 
did." 

"  Oh,  don't  bother  !  "  she  said  impatiently.  She 
sat  before  the  little  stove,  with  her  feet  pressed 
against  the  iron  projection,  and  the  firelight  play- 
ing over  the  daintily-fitting  shoe.  It  had  grown 
quite  dark  in  the  room,  and  I  could  not  see  her 
features  or  read  their  expression. 

"  Well,  Lotta  ?  "  I  said,  after  a  time. 


92  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  I  have  believed  that  he  would  be  an  assist- 
ance to  us,"  she  said,  "have  thought  that  he 
would  be  able  to  raise  us  above  our  trouble  ; 
what  it  costs  me  to  speak  to  him  no  one  can 
understand.  And  what  answer  did  he  give  me, 
after  all  his  protestations  of  love,  after  his  re- 
peated assurances  that  my  every  wish  should  be 
to  him  as  a  command  ?  "  And  now  she  mimicked 
his  voice  and  manner.  "  '  No,  my  child,  you  do 
not  understand,  and  therefore  do  not  ask  me.' 
God  in  heaven,  Helena  !  I  have  gone  to  him  like 
a  beggar,  have  humbled  myself  for  the  first  time 
in  my  life — only  to  be  repulsed." 

"  But  he  is  so  prudent  and  sensible,  little  prin- 
cess ;  if  he  refused  you  something,  you  know 
it  was  for  the  best." 

"  Oh,  yes,  very  prudent,"  she  said  with  a  sneer  ; 
"but  this  reasoning  is  cold  as  ice,  one  freezes 
when  one  comes  in  contact  with  it.  Give  me  im- 
pulsive, warm,  impassioned  deeds  ;  an  act  where 
the  left  hand  knows  not  what  is  done  by  the 
right,  one  spark  of  magnanimity.  You  seek  in 
vain  for  it  in  these  creatures  here,  who  live  like 
moles  in  a  mound.  Ah,  that  my  lot  should  be 
cast  among  such  country  bumpkins  !  " 

"  But  tell  me  what  it  is  all  about." 

"  Oh,  you  will  not  understand  me.  Hans  needs 
money,  must  have  money,  or  he  is  lost." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  93 


"  Great  heavens  !  "  I  cried,  "  you  have  not 
been  begging  for  Hans  ?  " 

"  Yes,  for  he  has  only  me,  and  I  love  him  best 
in  the  whole  world.  I  overheard  your  conversa- 
tion with  grandmother  on  my  betrothal  morning, 
and — "  she  faltered — "  I  should  have  said  noth- 
ing— not  yet ;  but  last  evening  I  received  a  let- 
ter from  Hans,  and  I  know  well  that  he  will  be 
brought  to  great  misery  and  ruin  if  something  is 
not  done — and  done  soon — to  save  him  ;  so  " — 
and  her  voice  became  shrill — "  so  I  went  to  him 
and  begged  him  to  assist  Hans.  And  he — he 
got  on  his  high  horse  ;  spoke  of  what  he  would 
do  for  me,  for  all  of  us  here  ;  but  that  he  was 
not  foolish  enough  to  throw  his  money  into  the 
water,  and  that  one  would  not  serve  Hans  thus — 
only  injure  him  ;  for  only  misery,  hunger,  and 
sorrow  could  change  such  natures  into  respectable 
human  beings.  Oh,  he  spoke  very  well,  very  pru- 
dently, and  very  like  a  worthy  biirgermeister;  but 
by  so  doing  he  removed  the  mask  from  his  face, 
and  I  saw  his  true  features  ;  a  wretched,  miserly, 
narrow  man.  He  is'  thoroughly  contemptible." 

"  No,"  I  cried  ;  "  Lotta,  you  exaggerate.  No, 
believe  me,  he  was  right  not  to  give  Hans  money. 
He  would  only  gamble  it  away  in  an  hour,  as  he 
did  here.  Have  some  respect  for  the  man  whose 
possessions  are  the  result  of  work  and  fulfilment 


94  Two  Daughters*  of  One  Race. 

of  duty, — the  money  would  only  be  thrown  into  a 
bottomless  pit." 

She  took  the  tongs  and  poked  the  glowing 
coals  with  them  ;  then  she  sprang  up  suddenly 
and  began  wringing  her  hands. 

"  Helena,  I  believe  I  hate " 

She  stopped  abruptly,  for  there  was  a  noise  on 
the  outer  door. 

I  hastened  into  the  next  room  and  opened  it, 
and  found  the  coachman  outside  ;  he  held  a 
note  in  his  hand  and  smiled  slyly. 

"  For  the  young  mistress,"  said  he. 

I  lit  a  lamp,  and  then  took  the  letter  to  my 
sister.  She  scarcely  knew  whether  to  read  it  or 
not.  She  took  it  hesitatingly,  opened  the  en- 
velop, and  drew  the  letter  out.  A  postal  order 
for  one  hundred  thalers  was  folded  inside,  which 
Lotta  evidently  was  expected  to  despatch. 

She  became  pale  as  death,  and  hastily  put  the 
little  strip  of  paper  on  a  chest  of  drawers  by 
which  she  stood. 

"Extraordinary  generosity!"  she  muttered 
ironically. 

After  several  minutes  she  read  the  letter  and 
then  handed  it  to  me. 

"  Not  a  sermon  this  time,"  she  "aid,  and  turned 
away. 

This  is  what  Fritz  Roden  had  written : 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  95 

"  I  cannot  be  happy,  dearest,  knowing  that  you  are  sad 
and  angry  with  me,  and  especially  when  I  remember  that 
I  have  denied  your  first  petition.  I  enclose  a  note  for  one 
hundred  thalers,  which  I  trust  will  relieve  Hans'sembarra-s- 
ment.  By  this  post  I  send  a  letter  to  a  friend  of  mine  in 
New  York,  requesting  him  to  hunt  up  Hans  von  Werthern 
in  the  hospital,  and  to  talk  with  him  over  his  future  plans, 
and  communicate  the  result  to  me.  He  may  rest  assured 
of  my  help,  if  I  receive  a  favorable  answer.  I  trust  I 
have  proved  to  you  that  I  am  not  so  parsimonious  as  you 
seem  to  think  ;  credulous  and  blindly  trustful  I  am  not. 
I  like  to  feel  the  ground  upon  which  I  tread. 

"  And  now  this  affair  is  settled,  and  I  trust  that  when  we 
meet  in  the  morning  it  will  not  be  mentioned. 

"  Good-night,  my  love,  and  be  good  to 

"  YOUR  FRITZ." 

I  looked  across  at  her,  and  wondered  that  she 
had  not  hastened  to  write  him  a  line  of  thanks 
immediately.  But  she  was  standing  perfectly 
quiet,  and  when  she  did  at  last  turn  around,  her 
beautiful  face  wore  its  usual  indifferent  expres- 
sion. She  sat  down  under  the  lamplight  and  took 
up  a  book  and  began  reading. 

Nothing  further  had  been  said  about  the  copy- 
ing of  the  pictures  since  Lotta's  engagement. 
She  had  neglected  her  easel  altogether.  She  sat 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  in  the  broad  window- 
seat,  leaning  on  her  elbows,  holding  her  head  in 
her  hands,  lost  in  thought ;  she  seemed  in  a 
lethargy  all  the  time, 


96  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

My  grandmother  lay  in  bed  in  the  adjoining 
room.  She  was  not  exactly  sick,  she  said,  "  only 
tired."  I  went  back  and  forth  between  the 
two  rooms,  with  fear  in  my  heart,  as  I  looked  at 
the  tired  old  face  that  gazed  up  at  me  with  a 
smile,  and  begged  me  to  have  patience  with  her, 
and  then  at  the  young  girl,  who  looked  worn 
and  tired  of  life  too,  but  gave  me  no  friendly 
glance  in  return. 

Some  days  she  was  remarkably  gay,  and  began 
to  paint  her  future  life  in  spiteful  humor. 

"  Only  think  what  I  will  be  able  to  do  when  I 
marry  this  wealthy,  generous  man.  I  can  have 
a  cake  or  two  more  at  -my  little  entertainment 
than  Frau  Superintendent  is  able  to  offer,  and 
the  brocade  in  my  gown  will  cost  a  thaler  more 
a  yard  than  that  worn  by  Frau  Post-director. 
Yes,  I  will  have  great  privileges  when  I  become 
Frau  Roden." 

And  at  other  times  she  would  send  Fritz  to  the 
seventh  heaven  by  her  graciousness  and  her  con- 
descending familiarity. 

But  generally  she  was  silent  or  morose,  and 
worried  us  all  with  her  insufferable  whims,  and 
her  pleasant  moods  were  but  few. 

"  For  God's  sake,  Helena,  what  is  the  matter 
with  Lotta  ?  "  the  ardent  lover  would  ask  despair- 
ingly. "  Who  has  vexed  her  ?  What  has  put 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  97 

her  out  of  humor?  Perhaps  she  will  confide  in 
you." 

I  shook  my  head,  denying  all  knowledge  of 
her  feelings.  But  I  nevertheless  believed  that  I 
did  know,  and  that  she  felt  herself  oppressed  by 
her  engagement  to  him.  What  would  be  the  end 
of  it  all  ?  I  often  asked  myself. 

Christmas  came  and  went,  and  Lotta's  lap 
was  filled  with  its  treasures.  It  was  pathetic  to 
see  Fritz  seeking  to  fulfil  her  every  wish,  leaving 
no  stone  unturned  to  win  from  her  a  smile  of 
approval,  but  she  had  literally  none  to  give  him. 

Our  exhortations  that  she  should  paint  him  a 
picture,  or  send  him  some  little  piece  of  work 
from  her  own  hands,  were  all  in  vain.  We 
always  received  the  same  answer. 

"  Do  not  disturb  yourselves  about  me.  Will 
I  knit  him  a  pair  of  mittens  like  those  Rieke  made 
David  ?  Do  not  bother  me — we  are  entirely  too 
poor  to  give  presents." 

All  his  gifts  to  her  were  put  carefully  away  in 
the  bureau  drawers  ;  she  touched  nothing,  she 
used  nothing. 

"  Lotta,"  I  begged,  "  do  not  vex  him  so  greatly. 
You  certainly  can  afford  to  accept  presents  from 
the  man  whom  you  intend  to  marry.  It  looks  to 
me  as  though,  sooner  or  later,  you  intend  to 
break  with  him." 


98  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Oh,  no,"  she  answered  ;  "  I  shall  not  do  that 
at  all ;  but  let  me  alone,  and  do  not  torment  me  ; 
I  will  do  what  I  think  best." 

"  Little  princess,"  I  began  afresh,  "  be  honest, 
for  heaven's  sake,  be  honest.  If  you  do  not  love 
him  it  is  not  too  late  yet " 

"  Do  not  vex  me,"  she  answered  impatiently, 
"  and  attend  to  your  own  affairs.  I  know  .what 
I  am  doing." 

Near  at  hand  was  a  heart  that,  with  the  unerr- 
ing instinct  of  mother-love,  knew  her  son  would 
have  much  to  suffer.  Frau  Roden  did  not  hesi- 
tate to  express  her  honest  indignation  at  Lotta's 
conduct.  "  Helena,  Helena  !  "  she  said  to  me 
bitterly  one  day,  "  she  does  not  love  him  ;  what 
kind  of  a  marriage  will  it  be  ?  If  he  was  only 
not  so  infatuated  with  that  pretty  face,  and 
would  come  to  his  senses  again.  Ah,  dear  Hel- 
ena, what  has  my  dear  boy  done  to  deserve  such 
treatment  ? " 

And  she  dried  her  eyes  furtively,  for  her 
"  dear  boy  "  must  not  see  her  weeping.  She 
would  say  nothing  further  to  him  on  the  subject ; 
for  if  she  discouraged  him  and  made  him  heart- 
sick, he  would  become  incensed  against  her  and 
not  come  to  her  any  more  with  his  confidences. 

So,  whatever  his  Lotta  was,  she  was  to  him  all 
he  desired.  It  was  he  alone  that  would  have  to 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  99 

put  up  with  Lotta's  whims.     Marriage  is  a  mat- 
ter in  which  no  third  person  should  interfere. 

"  He  was  never  hasty  or  passionate  in  all  his 
life,  Helena,  but  he  would  come  to  me  immedi- 
ately after  and  throw  his  arms  around  my  neck, 
craving  my  pardon,  and  showing  from  his  inmost 
heart  his  anxiety  to  make  amends  for  any  sharp 
words  he  had  spoken.  Oh,  I  know  my  dear  boy, 
I  know  him  well." 

Our  days  passed  slowly  and  uneventfully  ;  and 
we  entered  upon  the  new  year,  the  memorable 
year  of  1870,  with  no  suspicion  of  the  storm 
which  was  shortly  to  burst  upon  us  with  such 
fury.  In  our  sequestered  corner  of  the  earth, 
time  seemed  to  stand  still  ;  January  and  Febru- 
ary passed  with  their  usual  accompaniments  of 
snow  and  icej  with  March  the  thaws  began  melt- 
ing the  snow  from  off  our  mountains,  and  permit- 
ting the  little  violets  to  peep  forth  in  the  gardens 
surrounding  us.  And  Lotta  went  out  in  the 
warmer  sunshine  to  gather  the  fragrant  spring 
flowers  that  grew  beside  the  walls.  Grand- 
mother would  sit  on  the  balcony,  carefully 
propped  up  with  pillows  to  breathe  the  soft 
spring  air.  The  brown  swelling  buds  were  com- 
ing out  rapidly  on  the  branches  of  the  trees,  and 
the  little  shrubs  were  shining  once  more  in  their 


too  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

renewed  clothing  of  emerald  green.  As  far  as 
eye  could  reach,  the  newly-sown  fields  gave 
promise  of  the  harvest  to  come,  a  hope  always 
dear  to  the  aged. 

"  I  cannot  tell,"  said  the  old  lady,  looking 
intently  at  me  as  I  sat  opposite  her,  "  whether 
it  is  my  bad  sight  or  not,  but  to  me  you  seem 
greatly  changed.  Where  has  your  round  face 
gone  ?  " 

"  I  am  quite  well,  grandmother ;  but  Lotta 
looks  bad." 

I  looked  down  at  Lotta  as  she  walked  with 
slow  steps  up  and  down  by  the  •wall.  She  would 
stoop  over,  as  though  lost  in  thought,  then 
straighten  herself  up  again,  and  a  second  later 
be  stooping  once  more  ;  and  now  she  stood  erect, 
for  Schnips  rushed  off  with  a  bark  to  meet 
Fritz,  who  was  hastening  forward  to  greet  his 
betrothed.  She  gave  him  her  hand  and  a  nod 
of  greeting  as  he  put  his  arm  around  her  waist, 
and  remained  as  apathetic  and  listless  as  was  her 
wont  these  last  few  months. 

He  spoke  eagerly ;  I  could  hear  his  voice  from 
where  I  sat,  although  I  could  not  catch  the 
words.  She  listened  patiently  ;  at  last  she  took 
up  her  long  black  gown  and  turned  and  came 
toward  the  house. 

"  No,  it  cannot  go  on  this  way  any  longer,"  I 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  101 

heard  him  say  as  they  entered  the  house  together. 
A  moment  later  they  were  in  the  living-room,  and 
I  went  in  at  once  to  greet  him.  He  looked  red 
and  excited,  and  was  stroking  his  beard,  a  habit 
with  him  whenever  he  was  deeply  moved. 

''  No,  it  cannot  go  on  any  longer  this  way," 
he  repeated,  as  he  shook  hands  with  me. 

"  I  must  have  my  own  way  in  this.  Helena, 
you  must  stand  by  me  ;  you  advise  and  help  me 
to  persuade  Lotta  that  it  is  best  for  us  to  be 
married  in  May." 

She  had  taken  no  interest  apparently  in  what 
he  said,  and  stood  passively  near  him.  As  he 
caught  hold  of  her  hand  at  the  last  words  she 
drew  it  hastily  back,  and  a  deep  color  overspread 
her  pale  cheeks.  But  she  answered  never  a 
word,  only  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

At  this  his  face  grew  darker. 

"  But  why  should  we  wait  any  longer  ? "  he 
asked.  "  I  cannot  bear  to  see  you  so  sad,  so 
idle.  Nothing  pleases  you  now  that  used  to  in- 
terest you.  You  do  not  read,  you  do  not  play 
on  the  piano,  you  do  not  paint  at  all.  If  we  are 
married  in  May,  we  can  travel  ;  I  heard  you  say 
once  that  you  would  like  to  go  up  the  Rhine — 
so  we  will  go  there.  A  change  will  be  the  best 
thing  for  you,  and  you  will  become  your  old  self 
again,  sweetheart.  Js  that  not  so,  Helena  ? " 


io2  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

She  whom  he  loved  so  dearly  answered  noth- 
ing, but  stood  silent  and  turned  a  deaf  ear  to  his 
pleadings. 

"  Now,  say  yes  !  "  he  coaxed.  "  Everything 
is  in  readiness  for  you  at  the  house  ;  the  final 
arrangements  will  be  the  care  of  mother  and 
Sister  Helena  ;  they  will  make  it  comfortable 
for  us.  And  we  will  come  back  at  harvest  time, 
when  everything  is  so  cool  and  inviting  in  our 
mountains.  Now,  say  yes  !  " 

He  had  spoken  half  jestingly,  but  I  could  see 
his  whole  heart  was  in  his  request  notwith- 
standing. 

But  Lotta  did  not  say  "yes."  She  turned 
and  went  over  to  the  window  and  looked  out  at 
the  castle  walls  opposite,  with  their  large  bright 
windows  ;  then,  after  a  long  pause,  she  said,  with- 
out turning  around  : 

"  I  cannot  decide  so  quickly,  and  papa  is  not 
dead  a  year  yet." 

He  looked  across  at  me  :  he  was  evidently 
both  anxious  and  puzzled.  But  he  urged  nothing 
further  on  that  day. 

As  though  relieved  of  a  burden,  the  young 
girl  came  suddenly  back  from  the  window. 

"  I  am  going  to  paint  again,"  she  said  ener- 
getically. "  I  will  take  advantage  of  the  per- 
mission that  has  been  given  me  to  copy  over 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  103 


there  at  the  castle  ;  there  is  a  picture  of  still- 
life  in  the  yellow  chamber  that  has  pleased  me 
greatly.  I  will  go  across  at  once  and  ask  if  I 
may  commence  to-morrow."  And  she  stepped 
in  front  of  the  silent,  moody  man,  who  watched 
her  intently,  and  patted  him  on  the  arm.  u  No 
glacier  this  time,  Frederick — a  still-life  picture, 
and  when  it  is  completed  you  can  have  it  if  you 
wish  it." 

It  was  the  first  time  in  many  a  day — perhaps, 
indeed,  the  very  first  time — she  had  spoken  to 
him  thus.  He  forget  that  she  had,  after  a  child- 
ish fashion,  put  off  any  decision  as  to  their  future, 
and  that  it  was  as  uncertain  as  ever,  forgot  every- 
thing but  the  fact  of  her  unexpected  friendliness. 
A  happy  smile  came  over  his  face. 

"  Yes,"  he  said,  "  paint  the  picture  of  still- 
life — soon,  my  dearest  !  " 

Lotta  began  her  painting  at  the  castle  with 
great  zeal. 

The  hangings  were  drawn  back  from  the  win- 
dows in  the  yellow  chamber,  and  at  times  she 
would  come  to  one  of  them,  holding  her  canvas 
up  for  me  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  it,  and  giving  me 
a  contented  nod  at  the  same  time. 

It  seemed  to  me  that  her  countenance  had 
become  animated  again  ;  she  chatted  at  table,  and 


104  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


did  not  sit  by  the  hour  staring  into  space  as  she 
had  done  nearly  all  winter. 

The  old  charming  smile,  half  roguish,  half 
childish,  played  again  at  times  around  her  mouth  ; 
but  whenever  she  dined  or  spent  an  evening  with 
Fritz's  mother,  at  his  earnest  solicitation,  she 
came  back  looking  pale,  and  wearied,  and  com- 
plained that  she  was  nervous. 

She  said  the  old  lady  oppressed  her  with  her 
prosy  manner  and  still  prosier  talk,  just  like  a 
burger's  frau,  and  she  had  hard  work  to  avoid 
yawning  when  she  was  in  the  middle  of  one  of 
her  twice-told  tales. 

The  old  lady  knew  nothing  of  the  last  new 
novels,  and  had  never  heard  any  of  Offenbach's 
gay  operas.  On  the  little  desk,  with  her  Goethe 
and  Schiller  and  Lessing,  lay  a  book  entitled 
"The  Palladium  of  Noble  Womanhood,"  with 
golden  rules  for  wives  and  maidens. 

Lotta  had  looked  the  book  through  once,  and 
had  laughed  heartily  at  its  old-fashioned  illustra- 
tions and  quainter  text. 

Frau  Roden  naturally  enough  resented  Lotta's 
sneers,  and  Fritz  was  in  a  very  uncomfortable  posi- 
tion, because  she  complained  to  him  about  all 
his  sweetheart's  shortcomings.  The  simple  songs 
which  Frau  Roden  had  played  and  sung  in  her 
youth  were  commented  upon  with  commiserat- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  105 

ing  kindness,  and  for  three  days  Lotta  nick- 
named her  future  mother-in-law  the  "  dear 
moon,"  because  she  had  innocently  related  how 
fond  she  was  of  the  song,  "  Dear  moon,  you 
move  so  silently,"  and  how  often  she  had  sung  it 
when  she  was  a  bride.  Fritz's  mother  in  her  turn 
declared  that  the  melodies  from  Offenbach  which 
Lotta  was  fond  of  playing  were  mere  empty 
jingles,  and  she  brought  out  some  of  Beethoven's 
sonatas,  which  Lotta  spurned  as  too  antique 
and  solemn. 

Yes,  the  little  princess  was  intensely  bored  ; 
she  could  not  appreciate  the  contentment  which 
comes  to  a  human  heart  after  years  of  painful 
striving,  when  it  has  grown  old  in  labor  and 
trouble,  and  can  look  back  with  pride  upon  a 
long  and  honest  life.  Such  a  serenity  was  to  her 
simply  insufferably  commonplace. 

Up  in  the  great  gable  room  sat  four  seam- 
stresses working  on  the  household  linen. 

"  Children,  I  beg  you,"  the  practical  old  lady 
said  one  day,  "  do  not  make  up  any  linen,  for  I 
have  quantities  of  it  piled  away  in  chests  aiid 
on  spindles,  and  it  would  be  great  waste  to  get 
more.  Fritz  is  my  only  child,  and  this  linen  has 
been  accumulating  since  my  grandmother's  time. 
There  have  been  no  daughters  in  the  Roden 
family  for  three  generations — only  sons,  And 


106          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

it  is  a  blessing  that  now  there  will  be  a  reason 
for  letting  it  see  the  light." 

And  then  she  would  show  us  the  piles  of  costly 
linen  and  damask  of  the  finest,  upon  all  of  which 
she  was  having  the  initials  C.  V.  W.  daintily 
embroidered. 

"  For,"  said  the  kind  woman,  turning  to  me, 
•'no  one  need  know  that  Lotta  did  not  bring 
them  with  her ;  the  people  about  here  are  so 
curious  and  talk  so  much.  I  told  the  women 
upstairs  you  had  no  place  for  them  to  sew  over 
at  your  rooms." 

But  Lotta  took  little  heed  of  all  this.  She  did 
not  act  as  a  thankful  daughter  should  have  done 
toward  the  old  lady.  This  girl,  who  came  with 
empty  hands,  and  did  not  contribute  a  penny's 
worth  toward  her  own  outfit,  gave  expression  to 
no  word  of  thanks  ;  there  was  no  feeling  of  grati- 
tude for  all  the  thoughtfulness  and  considera- 
tion that  was  shown  her. 

According  to  her  notion  it  was  from  the  other 
side  that  thanks  were  due  ;  she  turned  away  care- 
lessly, and  threw  her  beautiful  head  back  with 
an  indifferent  toss,  vouchsafing  but  a  passing 
glance  at  the  good  things  of  life  that  were  being 
especially  prepared  for  her. 

No  word  had  been  spoken  about  Hans  since 
the  eventful  evening  on  which  Lotta  ha-"1  quar 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          167 


relied  with  her  lover  ;  but  I  learned  that  Fritz 
had,  upon  the  receipt  of  a  letter  from  his  New 
York  friend,  sent  off  some  more  money,  for  which 
Hans  had  asked.  And  no  answer  had  been  re- 
ceived in  return. 

*I  said  nothing  about  the  matter,  for  I  was 
ashamed  of  this  miserable  begging  ;  and  Lotta 
never  mentioned  her  brother's  name  again. 

The  spring  time  came  on  gently,  with  its  soft 
breezes  and  clear,  fragrant  air,  bringing  with  it 
its  old  but  ever  new  joys — the  songs  of  birds, 
the  blossoming  of  flowers,  the  fresh,  vivid  green 
wherever  the  eye  turned — and  before  the  April 
days  were  gone  the  nightingales  were  once  more 
under  our  windows.  I  do  not  know  why  I  cried 
so  much  ;  whether  there  was  in  my  mind  a  pre- 
sentiment of  what  was  to  follow,  or  whether  I 
felt  within  me  the  consciousness  that  there  was 
spring  time  and  happiness  for  all  the  world  be- 
sides, but  for  me  there  was  nothing. 

I  led  a  strange  life  at  that  time. — I  can  say 
nothing  more.  I  knew  that  my  days  were  like  a 
slow  stream  running  on  between  two  unattractive 
shores,  with  care  and  labor  and  dismal  thoughts 
that  made  one  silent  and  sad  and  dull.  I  saw 
before  me  the  great  endless  stretch  of  time  ere 
I  should  be  as  old  as  my  grandmother,  and  I 
prayed  in  my  heart :  "  Good  God,  do  not  let 


,08  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


me  live  so  long."  It  was  a  fearful  experience 
through  which  I  passed.  The  one  thing  which 
caused  me  the  greatest  uneasiness  was  the  ear- 
nest, sombre  face  of  Fritz  Roden. 

He  also  is  not  happy,  I  thought ;  for  he  is 
battling  against  his  better  judgment.  He  can 
struggle  yet  with  the  fears  that  oppress  him  ;  but 
for  me  there  is  no  hope  ;  all  is  over  in  my 
life. 

"  Will  you  not  come  over  and  see  how  I  am 
getting  on  with  my  picture  ? "  asked  Lotta,  one 
morning,  as  she  was  starting  for  the  castle. 
"  Come  over  for  me  to-day  ;  there  is  much  that 
is  worth  seeing,  aside  from  the  pictures.  All  the 
furnishings  and  adornments  are  wonderfully  rich 
and  beautiful,  and  are  of  the  time  of  the  first 
Napoleon.  Anita  declares  they  are  all  quite 
origina7,  ;  it  is  something  to  see  in  this  age  of 
monotonous  sameness.  Or  will  you  be  too  much 
engaged  in  arranging  your  toilet  for  the  supper 
at  the  great  house  to-night  ?  I  suppose  one  could 
not  get  out  of  going  to  it  ?  For — what  a  triumph 
— the  gentry  of  Rodenberg  will  at  last  be  pre- 
sented to  the  future  Frau  Roden." 

"  I  have  nothing  to  prepare  for  myself,  Lotta," 
1  answered.  "  I  shall  wear  my  black  silk  gown, 
but  I  would  like  to  get  in  readiness  something 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          1 09 


suitable  for  you.  I  think  your  soft  white  silk 
would  do  nicely  ;  for  you  know,  as  the  betrothed 
of  the  master  of  the  house,  and  the  guest  in  honor 
of  whom  the  supper  is  given,  you  should  be  as 
attractive  as  possible.  I  will  take  off  the  blue 
ribbons  and  put  black  velvet  o  les  in  their  place, 
if  you  say  so." 

She  did  not  answer  me,  but  I  saw  that  her  face 
wore  a  fretful  expression. 

"  Will  you  come  ?  "  she  asked  evasively. 

"  Yes,  Lotta.  But  I  do  not  know  how  to  get 
to  the  rooms.  I  will  come  over  about  half-past 
eleven,  when  grandmother  takes  her  nap." 

"  Ring  at  the  large  middle  door,  and  when  you 
are  admitted  go  up  the  steps  and  through  the 
glass  door  to  your  right ;  that  will  bring  you  into 
a  long  corridor,  then  you  come  to  the  seventh 
door  on  your  right.  Good-by  till  then." 

By  half-past  eleven  I  had  finished  the  changes 
that  were  needed  on  Lotta's  gown.  It  was  an 
elegant  costume  of  rich  white  silk  and  golden 
white  cashmere.  She  had  had  it  made  to  wear 
at  a  bazaar  at  the  palace  of  a  Russian  ambassa- 
dor, where  she  was  a  flower-girl  in  one  of  the 
booths — the  last  time  that  she  had  seen  the  shim- 
mer and  glitter  of  fashionable  life.  I  shuddered 
as  the  past  came  before  me  so  clearly;  one  can 
hardly  understand  how  trifles  which  make  no 


no  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


impression  at  the  time  can  come  back  so  vividly 
in  after-days. 

I  had  almost  forgotten  my  promise  to  Lotta, 
but  I  made  haste  and  started  for  the  castle. 

As  I  passed  by  the  great  house  I  saw  all  the 
windows  thrown  wide  open,  and  caught  a  glimpse 
of  the  mistress  herself  with  her  dust-brush  in 
her  hand,  but  so  busily  engaged  that  she  did  not 
notice  me. 

Ah,  the  preparations  for  this  evening  !  And 
I  could  not  help  thinking  how  rejoiced  they  were 
that  Lotta  had  finally  yielded  to  Fritz's  entreaties 
to  allow  an  announcement  supper  to  be  given  in 
honor  of  their  betrothal. 

"  Dear  child,  one  must  live  in  the  midst  of 
these  people,"  she  had  urged,  "  and  they  take 
an  interest  in  all  that  concerns  us,  just  as  we 
do  in  them  ;  and,  believe  me,  there  is  no  harm 
in  possessing  good  friends  and  kind  neighbors. 
And  I  want  Lotta  to  be  friendly  with  every  one. 
It  will  do  her  no  harm,  and  prevent  people 
gossiping  among  themselves.  You  know,  Helena, 
that  every  one  here  believes  her  to  be  proud  and 
unamiable,  and  she  certainly  gives  them  reason 
to  think  so.  She  will  not  visit  them,  and  hardly 
seems  to  notice  them." 

Whether  Lotta  would  ever  be  friendly  or  cor- 
dial with  the  Rotenberg  people  I  could  not  tell: 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  in 

but  I  did  not  like  to  think  about  it  at  all,  for  1 
greatly  feared  the  contrary. 

And  now  I  found  myself  under  the  great 
linden-trees  that  surrounded  the  principal  en- 
trance of  the  castle,  and  was  soon  ringing  at  the 
door  Lotta  had  indicated,  upon  which  was  a  plate 
with  the  name,  "  GOVERNOR." 

The  door  was  opened  immediately,  and  I 
stepped  into  a  large  hall  with  broad  flights  of  stairs 
going  up  on  either  side,  with  two  bronze  knights 
as  sentinels  at  their  base.  As  I  ascended  the 
marble  stairs  I  looked  with  interest  at  the  rich 
and  historic  frescoes  which  adorned  the  walls,  and 
the  magnificent  bronze  chandeliers.  The  cool, 
damp  atmosphere-  struck  me  painfully,  and  I 
shuddered  at  the  almost  ghostly  stillness  which  is 
a  natural  accompaniment  of  uninhabited  rooms. 

When  I  reached  the  top  of  the  stairs  I  found 
a  large  vestibule,  inlaid  in  white  lacquer-work, 
hung  with  purple  curtains,  and  finished  in  a  rich 
but  antique  fashion  ;  from  the  windows  I  caught 
a  glimpse  of  the  courtyard  with  its  prim-looking 
plots  of  grass. 

Large  glass  doors  afforded  an  exit  from  both 
sides  of  this  vestibule  ;  and  going  through  the 
left  one,  as  Lotta  had  directed,  I  found  myself 
in  a  long,  dimly-lighted  corridor,  whose  walls 
were  broken  here  and  there  by  folding-doors, 


ii2          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

niches  with  statuary,  and  bronze  candelabra.  1 
counted  the  doors  until  I  came  to  the  seventh, 
which  I  opened,  and  as  they  swung  noiselessly 
back  I  entered  a  small  anteroom.  The  floor 
was  covered  with  a  soft,  thick  carpet,  and  the 
walls  were  hung  with  Gobelin  tapestry  ;  over  the 
marble  mantel  hung  a  mirror  framed  in  prism-cut 
glass,  which  gave  a  golden,  glistening  effect  to 
the  entire  room.  Two  doors,  each  covered  with 
Turkish  portieres,  led  out  of  this  room  into  inner 
ones,  and  a  superb  copy  of  Battoni's  Penitent 
Magdalen  hung  above  a  richly-carved  piece  of 
furniture,  half  buffet,  half  cabinet. 

I  stopped  suddenly,  for,  almost  as  I  entered, 
I  heard  my  sister's  rich,  clear  laugh,  as  I  had  not 
heard  it  since  we  left  Berlin,  so  silvery,  so 
strange,  for  I  had  almost  forgotten  its  sound. 
And  this  laugh  was  followed  by  the  full,  deep 
tones  of  a  man's  voice,  as  he  said  gayly  : 

"  You  do  not  believe  me  ? " 

I  stood  motionless  when  I  heard  it.  Glancing 
at  the  mirror  above,  I  could  see  Lotta's  profile, 
as  the  glistening  frame  threw  its  many-colored 
rays  over  her  ;  her  finely-shaped  head,  with  its 
coil  of  dark  hair,  seemed  to  rise  out  of  the  yellow 
satin  frame  of  her  chair.  She  sat  at  her  easel, 
her  back  half  turned  to  me,  as  she  looked  at  the 
speaker,  who  was  standing  by  the  canvas  on 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          113 

which  she  was  painting ;  a  man's  face,  upon 
which  was  stamped  the  imprints  of  youth  and 
good  fortune,  out  of  whose  blue  eyes  shone  a 
happy,  light-hearted  gayety. 

He  was  looking  at  my  sister  with  a  glance  of 
ecstasy,  much  as  a  painter  would  look  at  an  old 
master's  work.  The  sight  filled  me  with  anxiety. 

"  No,  your  highness,"  I  heard  her  repeat 
again,  "  I  do  not  believe  it.  I  have  finished  my 
work,  and  as  my  sister  does  not  appear  to  be 
coming,  I —  Fraulein  Anita  will  be  kind  enough 
to  look  after  my  painting  materials  and  see  that 
they  are  sent  across  to  me."  I  saw  through  the 
mirror  that  she  rose  as  she  spoke. 

I  came  forward  instantly  when  I  saw  her  move  ; 
and,  as  I  made  my  appearance  in  front  of  the  por- 
tiere which  had  shaded  me,  I  was -conscious  of  an 
inquisitorial  glance — anything  but  friendly — that 
greeted  me  from  Lotta's  companion.  "  Lotta  !  " 
I  called,  and  I  do  not  know  to  this  day  whether 
I  bowed  as  etiquette  demanded  or  not  ;  but 
Lotta  turned  quietly  toward  me,  and  said  : 

"  My  sister,  your  highness  !  " 

"  I  have  disturbed  your  sister  after  a  most 
inexcusable  fashion,"  said  he,  with  polite  greet- 
ing. "  I  was  on  the  point  of  starting  for  Castle 
Grunen,  and  took  it  into  my  head  to  run  down 
here  for  a  day  before  I  went,  and  what  was  my 


1 1 4  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

surprise  when  I  entered  this  room  to  find  a  young 
lady  painting  diligently,  for  the  governor  had  for- 
gotten to  inform  me  of  the  permission  he  had 
accorded  her." 

"  And  I  was  frightened  not  a  little,"  said 
Lotta,  as  she  unfastened  her  painting-apron. 
"  But,  your  highness,  you  see  the  picture  is 
finished,  and  I  will  disturb  you  no  longer." 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  is  not  finished,"  he  said, 
as  he  looked  attentively  at  her  work.  "  Do  you 
not  see,  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  that  there  is  a 
ray  of  light  yet  needed  on  that  chalice  of  red 
wine  ?  The  color  of  the  peach  is  too  deep,  and 
the  diamond  ring  there  in  the  corner,  which  lies 
so  carelessly  and  yet  so  full  of  meaning  near 
that  dish  of  luscious  fruit  on  the  green  satin 
cover,  is  but  meagrely  sketched  ;  you  must  give  it 
more  attention.  Look  again  at  the  original.  It  is 
the  work  of  a  great  master,  old  Petro  de  Ring ; 
you  must  treat  it  with  the  reverence  which  it 
deserves.  In  my  opinion  you  have  several  days' 
work  before  you  ere  your  copy  will  be  perfect." 

"  These  are  only  trifles,"  replied  Lotta  decid- 
edly, "  which  I  can  attend  to  just  as  well  at 
home."  And  as  the  prince  made  a  hasty  move- 
ment to  interrupt  her,  she  added  quickly,  "  I 
wish  to  give  the  picture  away  to-day,  your  high- 
ness." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          115 

"  To  her  betrothed,"  said  I  ;  and  I  felt  that 
my  voice  sounded  deep  and  earnest,  but  I  could 
not  help  it. 

He  looked  at  Lotta  in  astonishment,  and  there 
was  a  question  in  his  glance. 

"  Yes,"  said  the  girl  in-  a  low  tone  and  with 
fixed  eyes  on  the  floor,  "to  my  betrothed." 

"  He  is  a  man  to  be  envied,"  said  the  prince, 
but  without  taking  his  eyes  off  her. 

Lotta  caught  up  her  straw  hat  hastily  and  lifted 
her  damp  picture  from  the  easel:  she  was  very 
pale,  and  about  her  mouth  I  saw  again  the  hard 
expression  which  for  the  last  few  weeks  had 
never  left  it. 

With  a  profound  bow  she  retired  from  the 
room,  catching  me  by  the  hand  as  she  went,  and 
throwing  a  curt  greeting  to  Anita,  who  stood 
listlessly  looking  out  of  the  window. 

In  another  moment  we  were  passing  swiftly 
through  the  corridor.  We  hurried  down  the 
steps,  and  were  soon  walking  under  the  chestnuts 
toward  our  home;  neither  of  us  had  spoken  a 
word. 

"  How  did  it  happen  that  the  prince  arrived 
so  unexpectedly  ? "  I  asked  at  last. 

"  I  do  not  know,  Helena,"  she  answered.  "  I 
was  painting,  and  Anita  was  gossiping,  and  I  had 
just  asked  her  to  put  some  wood  in  the  stove,  for 


1 1 6  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


I  felt  chilly,  when  I  heard  a  carriage  drive  hastily 
into  the  court  beneath.  I  knew  from  the  sound 
that  it  was  no  conveyance  from  this  neighbor- 
hood, and  was  reminded  of  the  high-stepping 
horses  and  heavy  equipages  of  our  dear  Berlin. 
Anita  was  listening  too,  all  ears,  but  she  said  noth- 
ing, and  began  again  to  chat  of  trifling  matters. 
Soon,  however,  I  heard  a  step  behind  me,  and 
turning,  saw  the  prince  by  my  side.  It  was  very 
painful  for  me,  as  you  can  understand.  Then  he 
told  me  just  what  he  repeated  to  you,  that,  as  he 
was  going  to  Grunen,  the  fancy  struck  him  to 
come  to  Rotenberg,  just  to  see  again  the  place 
where  he  had  spent  at  one  time  so  many  tedious 
weeks.  It  was  not  a  pleasant  contretemps  for  me, 
Helena,  so  don't  say  any  more  about  it." 

"  You  will  be  forced  to  desist  from  your 
favorite  occupation,  —  for  a  time,  at  least, — 
Lotta." 

She  sighed  and  looked  at  her  picture.  "  He 
will  doubtless  be  away  again  soon,  but  it  was  not 
pleasant  to  be  taken  by  surprise  after  such  a 
fashion." 

When  we  crossed  the  Rodens'  court,  I  turned 
to  the  left  toward  home.  Lotta  stood  irresolutely 
for  a  moment,  and  then  said  :  "  I  think  I  will 
stop  for  an  instant,  Helena,  or  will  you  give  him 
the  picture  ? " 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          117 

"  No,"  I  answered,  "  but  I  will  accompany 
you." 

"  Wait,"  she  said,  "  I  will  join  you  in  a 
moment." 

I  did  not  understand  Lotta  then,  but  after- 
ward it  seemed  to  me  that  an  instinctive  feeling — 
a  presentiment — what  you  will — of  the  shadows 
that  were  so  soon  to  cross  her  pathway  was  upon 
her  that  morning. 

"  Is  your  master  at  home  ?  "  I  heard  her  ask. 
Then  she  disappeared  within  the  doorway,  and  I 
heard  her  step  across  the  marble  hall.  A  mo- 
ment later,  and  she  was  by  my  side  again  with 
empty  hands. 

"  He  was  not  in,  and  I  placed  it  on  his  writing- 
table,"  she  said,  putting  her  arm  in  mine  as  we 
crossed  the  stone  pavement  together. 

"  Had  we  not  better  go  back  and  see  his 
mother,  if  but  for  a  moment  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Not  on  my  account,"  she  answered.  "  I 
believe  we  should  only  disturb  her  any  way  ;  she 
is  engaged  up  to  her  eyes  in  preparations  for  the 
evening." 

I  had  my  way,  however,  and  we  entered  the 
house  for  a  friendly  word  with  the  old  lady. 

In  the  great  room  everything  seemed  in  readi- 
ness for  the  festivities  of  the  evening.  The 
table  glistened  with  fine  crystal  and  rich,  old- 


n8  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

fashioned  silver  plate.  In  the  middle  stood  a 
gracefully-shaped  silver  epergne,  filled  with  field- 
flowers,  gold-dragon  and  jasmine,  and  over  two 
of  the  chairs  an  arbor  of  small  green  birch 
branches  had  been  formed.  In  front  of  these 
two  places  of  honor  stood  an  immense  cake,  sur- 
mounted by  a  sugar  Cupid  pointing  his  arrow 
toward  the  chairs,  as  though  he  would  pierce  the 
hearts  of  the  two  who  should  sit  within  the 
arbor. 

"  Those  seats  are  for  Fritz  and  you,"  I  whis- 
pered, and  looked  anxiously  at  Lotta.  She 
appeared  like  one  turned  to  stone  as  she  gazed 
at  the  arch.  Around  her  mouth  played  ever  the 
old  sneering  smile,  but  there  were  tears  in  her 
eyes. 

"  How  frightful  !  "  I  heard  her  say. 

We  found  our  hostess  in  an  adjoining  room, 
where  she  was  adorning  the  chandeliers  with 
wreaths. 

"  There,"  she  said,  "  you  have  come  through 
the  great  room  and  seen  the  preparations,  and  I 
wanted  it  all  to  be  a  surprise  to  Lotta.  Our 
people  adorned  the  places  for  the  happy  pair. 
But,  now  that  you  are  here,  you  can  help  me 
a  little  if  you  will,  for  Fritz  left  me  in  the 
lurch  to-day,  and  has  not  yet  returned  from  his 
ride."  And  she  handed  Lotta  ribbon  to  make 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  119 

bows  and  streamers  for  the  wreaths,  and  called 
upon  me  to  assist  her  in  what  she  was  doing. 

"  Only  think,"  she  said,  going  on  hastily  with 
her  work  all  the  while,  "while  I  was  busy  in  the 
upper  rooms  this  morning,  I  saw  a  carriage  and 
horses  driven  into  the  courtyard  of  the  castle, 
and  Prince  Otto  in  it,  too.  I  only  caught  a 
glimpse,  but  am  sure  it  was  he.  I  was  surprised, 
I  can  tell  you.  What  could  have  brought  him 
here  now  ?  I  heard  he  had  forsworn  Roten- 
berg  altogether,  and  considered  it  a  dull,  poky 
place,  even  though  he  does  own  such  a  fine  resi- 
dence here." 

Lotta  remained  perfectly  silent,  and  continued 
cutting  the  long  paper  strips  for  tapers  which 
had  just  been  handed  her. 

"  You  are  quite  right,"  I  answered,  "  Prince 
Otto  is  here." 

The  old  lady  threw  down  her  wreath  and 
clasped  her  hands  together. 

"  God  in  heaven  !  "  she  cried,  "  I  wonder  what 
he  has  done  this  time  that  he  is  sent  here  again 
to  do  penance  !  Children,  you  have  the  rascal 
just  opposite  you  ;  be  careful  never  to  go  near 
your  windows." 

Lotta  laughed  suddenly  at  this,  and  so  heartily 
that  her  white  teeth  glistened  through  her  parted 
lips. 


i2o  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Do  you  know  him  personally  ? "  asked  Lotta. 

"  Oh,  yes,  indeed,"  chatted  the  dear  old  lady  ; 
"  he's  a  beautiful  boy,  looks  just  like  Goethe 
must  have  looked  when  he  came  back  to  Frie- 
derika  at  Sesenheim.  No  wonder  that  he  finds 
favor  with  the  women,  but  really  he  is  too  bad  ; 
but  he  heard  the  truth  once  from  me  any  way,  as 
he  doubtless  never  had  heard  it  before.  I  could 
do  it,  you  know,  for  when  he  was  a  child  he  was 
here  with  us  all  the  time,  playing  with  my  youngest 
boy,  Max.  Bless  me  !  how  those  two  lads  tore  in 
and  out,  now  on  the  roof,  now  on  the  haymow, 
and  now  on  the  topmost  rafters  of  the  barn  ;  it 
seemed  to  me  they  were  everywhere  that  they 
had  no  business  to  be.  Since  he  has  grown  up 
he  always  comes  in  to  see  me  and  shake  hands, 
and  he  never  fails  to  say  :  '  Frau  Roden,  I  have 
never  eaten  anything  which  tasted  half  so  good 
as  those  potato  dumplings  which  you  used  to 
bake  for  me  ;  you  know  how  we  used  to  sit  in  the 
kitchen  and  eat  them  right  hot  out  of  the  pan.' 
But  never  mind  that ;  I  was  about  to  tell  of  the 
lecture  I  gave  him.  That  was  over  two  years 
ago.  The  duke  had  sent  him  here  into  confine- 
ment on  account  of  some  wild  prank — I  never 
knew  what — that  he  might  have  time  for  reflec- 
tion— 'far  from  Madrid.'  Well,  I  suppose  he 
did  do  some  reflecting,  but  for  the  most  part  he 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  121 

turned  our  quiet  Rotenberg  topsy-turvy.  He 
brought  tight-rope  dancers  here  ;  he  bought  him- 
self an  elephant,  on  which  he  rode  around  the 
castle  garden  dressed  as  a  Turk  ;  he  inveigled  a 
company  of  strolling  players  into  our  tumble- 
down old  theatre  to  play  Offenbach's  nonsense, 
and  all  the  boys  in  the  village  whistled  the  airs, 
and  their  sisters  sang  the  stupid  stuff  till  we  were 
fain  to  stop  our  ears. 

"  He  sent  complimentary  tickets  to  all  the 
families  where  there  were  any  pretty  daughters, 
and  had  the  boxes  full  of  blondes  and  brunettes 
every  evening,  each  one  prettier  than  the  other, 
and  all  the  silly  things  were  as  conceited  as  if  each 
one  had  received  some  great  honor  and  special 
attention. 

"  Paul,  the  shoemaker,  who  lives  over  yonder 
on  the  corner,  had  a  dear  little  girl  eighteen  years 
old,  white  and  rosy,  with  dark  blue  eyes  ;  I  never 
saw  a  lovelier  picture.  She  was  a  godchild  of 
mine,  and  I  loved  her  tenderly.  Well — but  it  is 
not  right  that  I  should  tell  you  all  this ;  I'll 
make  it  short.  There  came  a  day  when  Anna 
would  have  given  her  life  if  it  had  not  been  as  it 
was.  The  foolish  child  left  her  father's  house 
stealthily  in  the  night  and  fog,  and  went  to  her 
aunt's  up  yonder  in  the  mountains.  She  has 
never  come  back.  Her  poor  mother  grieved  her- 


122  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


self  to  death  for  the  unfortunate  girl,  and  to  this 
hour  no  one  dares  to  speak  her  name  in  her 
father's  presence.  What  is  done  is  done  !  Just 
at  the  time  when  the  whole  village  was  talking 
about  the  affair,  the  young  scapegrace  had  the 
temerity  to  come  and  see  me.  'Twas  in  the 
twilight  of  a  rainy  autumn  day  ;  I  was  not  dis- 
posed to  let  the  opportunity  pass,  so  I  had  it  out 
with  him. 

"'Your  highness,'  I  said,  'those  whom  God 
has  set  to  rule  over  their  fellows  on  earth,  he  has 
elevated  that  they  may  be  an  example  to  their 
subjects.'  He  looked  at  me  and  smiled.  '  Why,' 
said  he,  '  Frau  Roden,  that's  a  function  which 
my  father,  the  duke,  and  my  brother,  the  heir 
apparent,  are  discharging  to  the  best  of  their 
ability.'  I  looked  at  him  very  earnestly  ;  we  were 
standing  by  the  window,  and  I  pointed  over  to 
the  shoemaker's  little  dwelling  ;  he  kept  on  smil- 
ing, but  I  was  not  to  be  turned  aside.  '  Your 
highness,'  I  continued,  '  'twas  only  a  poor  cob- 
bler's child,  but  her  parents  loved  her  just  as 
dearly  as  your  mother  loves  you,  in  tears  and  sor-  * 
row.'  This  time  the  smile  faded  from  his  face, 
and  he  gave  me  his  hand.  '  You  may  scold  me, 
Frau  Roden,'  he  said,  '  I  know  you  mean  well.'  " 

She  ceased  speaking.    Lotta  had  turned  aside 
and  was  vigorously  cutting  paper  ;  the  noise  of 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  123 

her  clipping"  was  the  only  sound  that  broke  the 
silence.  "  Dear,  dear,"  sighed  the  old  lady  after 
a  few  moments,  as  she  took  up  a  duster  from  the 
nearest  chair,  "  what  confusion  and  trouble  he'll 
bring  again  into  our  quiet  village." 

When,  a  half-hour  later,  we  had  returned  to 
our  house,  Lotta,  who  had  seemed  for  a  time  to 
be  lost  in  thought,  suddenly  exclaimed  : 

"  Do  you  know,  Helena,  he  reminds  me  very 
much  of  our  Hans.  Hans  was  just  as  merry  and 
amiable  as  Prince  Otto." 

"  And  just  as  deceitful  and  deficient  in  earnest- 
ness and  real  generosity,"  I  added. 

About  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  we  went 
over  to  the  supper.  Grandmother  was  attired  in 
ceremonious  black,  with  a  lace  mantle  thrown 
over  her  shoulders,  and  a  dainty  lace  cap  on  her 
head  ;  I  was  dressed  soberly  in  black  silk  with 
long,  sweeping  train  ;  my  only  ornament  was  a 
diamond  brooch  which  had  belonged  to  my 
mother.  Lotta  led  the  way.  She  was  indeed  a 
charming  sight,  with  her  slender  girlish  form  in 
a  dress  of  snowy  white,  walking  in  the  rosy  glow 
of  the  setting  sun.  There  had  been  a  slight 
shower  in  the  afternoon,  and  the  air  was  delight- 
fully fresh  ;  crystal  drops  were  glistening  still  on 
every  leaf. 

"  I    believe    I    am    nervous,"  said  Lotta.     "  I 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


wish  it  was  well  over  and  we  were  home 
again." 

She  had  hardly  spoken  when  a  manly  form 
stepped  out  from  under  the  linden-trees  and  came 
toward  us. 

"  Lotta,  dear  girl,  how  beautiful  you  are  !  "  he 
cried,  seizing  both  her  hands  and  holding  her  at 
arm's  length  as  he  regarded  her  with  delight. 
"  It  was  so  good  of  you  to  wear  a  white  dress. 
It  does  not  matter  if  we  keep  our  guests  waiting  a 
few  moments,  and,  Helena,  you  will  tell  my  mother 
that  we  are  coming  immediately  ;  I  must  keep 
Lotta  here  a  moment  to  thank  her  for  her  good- 
ness to-day."  And  he  led  her  to  a  rustic  seat 
near  by,  sheltered  by  the  low  linden  branches, 
and  upon  which  lay  a  magnificent  bouquet  of 
rare  flowers. 

We  hurried  on,  and  my  grandmother  said  : 

"  Do  not  you  think  Lotta  is  changed  :  that 
she  conceals  something  from  us  ?  It  seems  to 
me  as  if  she  was  always  trying  to  conquer  a  feel- 
ing of  aversion  or  repugnance  toward  him.  Just 
now  I  thought  she  would  have  given  anything  to 
escape  from  him  altogether." 

Indeed,  the  betrothed  pair  were  already  com- 
ing on  behind  us  ;-  the  thanks  must  have  been 
cut  short  after  all.  They  came  up  to  us  rather 
formally  ;  Lotta  was  carrying  her  train  in  one 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          125 


hand  and  her  flowers  in  the  other.  She  was 
deadly  pale,  and  he  red.  Strange  to  say,  he  did 
not  look  well  in  evening  dress  with  his  white  tie  ; 
his  hunting-jacket  and  top-boots  suited  him  much 
better. 

We  could  hear  the  sound  of  many  voices  as 
we  reached  the  house.  Rieke,  in  snowy  cap, 
opened  the  door  for  us,  and  my  grandmother 
crossed  the  threshold  leaning  on  my  arm.  As 
we  entered  the  large  room  the  chatter  ceased, 
and  the  curious  guests  looked  at  us  with  interest 
as  our  hostess  introduced  us  :  "  The  Frau  von 
Werthern  and  her  eldest  niece — and — here  is  the 
dear  bride  of  my  son." 

Fritz  and  Lotta  had  entered  behind  us.  For 
one  instant  there  was  silence,  and  then  a  perfect 
stream  of  words  were  whispered  over  us  :  "  Honor 
— joy — acquaintance  !  "  Grandmother  bowed  to 
all  and  then  sat  down  on  a  sofa,  and  I  seated 
myself  near  the  young  Frau  Diakonns.  Lotta  still 
stood  by  the  side  of  her  fiance',  until  he,  with 
some  haste,  brought  her  a  chair,  which  he  placed 
near  me,  and  in  which  she  sank  immediately. 

Our  entrance  seemed  to  have  put  a  stop  to  all 
general  conversatien  ;  several  of  the  young  peo- 
ple disappeared  one  after  another  through  the 
low  window  on  to  the  lawn.  Every  one's  glance 
was  directed  toward  the  lovely,  proud  face  of  the 


126  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


future  bride.  Two  young  girls  clad  in  some 
rosy,  gauzy  material  whispered  with  one  another 
and  evidently  compared  notes.  Fritz  talked  to 
one  of  the  gentlemen  about  the  prospects  for  a 
good  harvest,  and  grandmother  talked  in  a  low 
tone  to  Fran  Oberforster. 

I  tried  to  draw  Lotta  into  a  harmless  conver- 
sation I  was  having  with  my  little  blonde  neigh- 
bor in  regard  to  the  acoustical  properties  of  the 
village  church,  but  to  no  purpose — she  had  evi- 
dently decided  that  silence  was  golden.  It  made 
me  very  sad ;  I  alone  knew  how  charmingly 
Lotta  could  converse  when  she  wished.  At  last 
some  one  mentioned  the  name  "  Prince  Otto," 
and  then  the  tongues  seemed  loosened,  and  all 
began,  either  in  praise  or  blame,  to  discuss  that 
young  nobleman. 

"  He  will  remain  here,  of  course,"  said  one. 

"  Oh,  to  be  sure  !  He  has  no  greater  desire 
than  to  live  always  in  our  midst,"  quoth  another. 

"  I  wonder  whether  he  will  have  a  gondola 
trip  this  time,  such  as  he  had  two  years  ago  ? " 
cried  a  young  lady  with  sparkling  eyes. 

"We  shall  know  soon  enough,"  said  the  bur- 
germeister  with  a  sigh. 

"He  will  certainly  have  the  theatre  open," 
interrupted  the  Frau  Oberforster,  evidently 
pleased. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  127 

"Oh,  yes,  for  a  spectacular  play  at  least," 
added  her  husband  dryly. 

There  was  much  said  both  for  and  against  the 
prince.  The  gentlemen  shrugged  their  shoulders 
and  did  not  seem  anxious  to  talk  about  the  gay 
young  man ;  and  the  wives  and  daughters  found 
a  thousand  excuses  for  all  his  jolly  pranks. 

"  It  brings  in  some  money  to  the  poor  people 
when  there  are  guests  at  the  castle,"  said  the 
biirgermeister's  practical  wife. 

"  And  we'll  hear  some  good  music  occasion- 
ally," said  another. 

"  Rotenberg  would  be  buried  altogether  if  he 
did  not  come  occasionally." 

"  Indeed  it  would,"  sounded  a  chorus  of  young 
girls'  voices. 

"There  it  is  again,  the  old,  old  story,"  said 
the  chief  forester,  in  a  tone  which  brought  every 
one  else  to  silence.  "  If  any  one  wants  to  have 
luck  with  the  women  he  must  get  himself  into  a 
dozen  or  two  bad  scrapes  and  see  to  it  that  he 
goes  through  a  certain  number  of  love  intrigues." 

The  chorus  of  ladies  here  brought  the  speaker 
to  a  halt. 

"  That  is  not  nice  of  you,"  said  the  super- 
intendent's wife,  "  but  you  are  always  full  of 
malice." 

All  the  ladies  joined  in  the  attack  upon  the 


128  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


laughing  man,  who,  to  escape  the  reproaches  of 
the  enemy,  ran  to  the  window  and  thrust  his  fin- 
gers into  his  ears. 

"  But,  my  dear  ladies,"  he  cried  in  supplicatory 
accents,  "  it  is  an  established  fact,  that  whenever 
a  notorious  robber  has  been  executed,  the  officers 
have  always  found  among  his  effects  thousands 
of  tender  epistles." 

The  announcement  that  supper  was  ready 
brought  the  debate  to  a  close. 

The  affianced  pair  led  the  way  into  the  dining- 
room,  and  Lotta  stood  with  impenetrable  counte- 
nance before  her  seat  of  honor  ;  then  she  took 
her  place  beneath  the  hanging  birch  branches. 
The  sight  of  the  girl's  beautiful  and  motionless 
face  gave  me  a  strange  feeling  of  anxiety.  I 
noticed  that  she  refused  one  dish  after  another, 
that  Fritz  bent  toward  her  with  deep  concern, 
and  then  suddenly  stood  up  and  with  one  quick 
stroke  brought  the  whole  arch  to  the  ground. 

I  had  received  my  place  by  the  side  of  the 
jovial  chief  forester.  He  was  about  to  further 
illustrate  his  former  proposition,  when  he  was 
interrupted  by  a  sharp  ringing  of  glasses. 

The  superintendent  had  risen  and  struck  his 
glass,  and  was  getting  ready  to  make  a  speech. 

He  turned  to  the  betrothed  pair.  He  spoke 
pf  the  happiness  which  must  corqe  to  that  house 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          129 

into  which  so  lovely  a  bride  should  enter.  She 
would  find  roses  strewn  upon  the  threshold  in 
gratitude  for  the  roses  of  joy  which  she  brought 
with  her. 

He  spoke  of  the  Roden  family,  which  had 
dwelt  so  long  in  this  house,  and  could  look  back 
with  pride  upon  a  long  line  of  honorable  men 
and  virtuous  women ;  and  he  remarked  with 
especial  emphasis  that  she  who  gave  her  hand  to 
the  last  of  the  Rodens  might  well  deem  herself 
blessed,  for  from  his  youth  he  had  always  been  a 
man  whose  heart  was  in  the  right  spot.  And  so 
he  drank  to  the  health  of  the  young  pair,  whom 
he  hoped  soon  to  see  before  the  altar  of  St. 
Mary's  Church:  "A  happy  courtship  and  a 
peaceful  married  life." 

"  God  save  !  "  cried  all  the  guests  in  rousing 
chorus,  as  they  crowded  round  the  fiance's  with 
their  champagne  glasses  in  their  hands. 

In  the  midst  of  the  tumult  I  saw  opposite  to 
me  the  open  door,  and  in  the  doorway  stood — 
Prince  Otto. 

Frau  Roden  observed  him  before  any  one  else. 
I  heard  her  astonished  "  God  preserve  us — the 
prince  !  " 

Then  she  stepped  rapidly  forward  to  bid  him 
welcome. 

He  was  no  stranger  in  that  company,  and  his 
9 


130  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


coming  occasioned  only  joyous  surprise.  After 
a  gallant  compliment  to  my  grandmother  and  a 
hearty  grasp  of  the  hand  with  Fritz  Roden,  he 
took  a  chair  and  seated  himself  by  Lotta's  side, 
begging  that  the  guests  would  not  disturb  them- 
selves on  his  account.  He  had,  he  said,  only 
come  to  bring  his  personal  congratulations  to  his 
old  playfellow,  and  would  straightway  disappear. 

Indeed,  no  one  was  disturbed  by  his  coming, 
he  began  to  chat  so  innocently  with  Lotta, 
drank  toasts  with  Fritz,  and  laughed  as  heartily 
as  any  young  man  would  who  knows  that  he  is 
a  welcome  guest  in  a  merry  company.  He  de- 
clined to  eat  anything,  but  he  sipped  the  spark- 
ling champagne  with  evident  satisfaction. 

I  observed,  too,  that  Lotta  sipped  her  glass 
more  frequently  ;  soon  her  eyes  began  to  sparkle 
with  their  old  fire,  her  tongue  was  loosened,  and 
she  was  again  her  old  fascinating  self. 

Her  betrothed  sat  silent,  and  played  with  his 
empty  glass.  He  and  I  were  the  only  ones  in 
the  company  who  were  not  gayly  chatting.  I 
was  almost  suffocated  by  a  nameless  fear.  The 
warm  room,  with  its  heavy  odors  of  wine  and 
food  and  flowers,  was  becoming  intolerable  to  me. 
But  no  one  thought  of  rising,  for  the  prince  still 
sat  at  Lotta's  side,  drinking  and  chatting,  forget- 
ful that  he  had  spoken  of  leaving. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          131 

At  length  he  sprang  to  his  feet  and  offered 
Lotta  his  arm. 

"To  the  garden,  ladies  and  gentlemen,"  he 
exclaimed  ;  "  it  is  a  wonderful  spring  night  out 
of  doors." 

"Come,  Helena,"  whispered  Fritz,  as  he  gave 
me  his  arm. 

He  fairly  dragged  me  along  after  the  handsome 
pair,  who  were  already  moving  through  the  hall, 
past  the  line  of  gaping  servants,  toward  the  gar- 
den. 

Soft  moonlight  filled  the  night,  the  perfume  of 
flowers  was  in  the  air,  and  in  the  bushes  sang  the 
nightingale. 

As  if  in  a  dream  I  walked  behind  Lotta's  white 
and  lightly  moving  form.  Neither  of  us  spoke, 
but  I  knew  by  the  restless  light  of  his  eye  that 
Fritz's  heart  was  suffering.  I  felt  for  him  an 
unspeakable  compassion ;  the  hot  tears  rolled 
down  my  cheeks  and  would  not  be  restrained. 

"  Are  you  crying,  Helena  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  No,"  I  said,  ashamed  to  confess  the  truth. 

"  How  do  you  like  his  highness  ?  "  he  inquired 
with  a  bitter  accent.  But  before  I  could  answer 
he  added  : 

"  Let  us  turn  about.  I  am  tired  of  loitering 
in  their  wake." 

I  made  no  move  to  comply,  however. 


132  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  What  would  you  have  me  to  do  then, 
Helena  ?  "  he  said  softly.  "  True  gold  would 
not  melt  in  a  fire  where  there  is  so  much  more 
flame  than  heat." 

We  turned  around  then  and  went  back  in 
silence.  As  we  came  near  to  the  lindens,  we 
passed  close  by  the  windows  of  the  banqueting 
hall.  The  chief  forester  was  inside,  and  was  fill- 
ing all  the  glasses  from  a  great  punchbowl. 

"  Now  sing,  friends,"  we  heard  him  say.  "  But 
where  are  the  young  people  ?  Oh,  sure  enough, 
scattered  through  the  garden  in  sentimental 
promenade.  Well,  well,  we  did  no  better  in  our 
time." 

I  could  not  bear  that  Fritz  should  show  him- 
self to  the  merry  party  without  Lotta,  so  I  led 
him  aside  unobserved  along  the  path  leading  to 
the  lindens.  I  felt  I  must  say  something,  and  I 
could  think  of  nothing  but  Hans. 

"  You  said  some  time  ago  that  you  would  write 
to  a  friend  in  New  York  ;  did  you  do  it  ? " 

"Yes,  indeed." 

"  Did  you  receive  no  answer  ? " 

"  Oh,  yes,  I  received  an  answer,  Helena  ;  but 
do  not  let  us  talk  of  that  to-night.  Let  us 
go  in." 

"Not  without  Lotta,"  I  said  stubbornly. 

"  We  must  not  coerce  any  one,"  said  he.    "  She 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          133 

is  doubtless  amusing  herself.  Do  you  hear  that, 
Helena  ? " 

And  as  he  spoke  we  heard  her  merry  laugh  in 
the  distance. 

"  That  is  she,  is  it  not  ?  "  said  he  ;  "  no  one  but 
Lotta  can  laugh  like  that." 

Just  then  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  her  white 
dress,  and  I  called  to  her  loudly,  "  Lotta,  Lotta, 
y<d\\\  fiance  is  looking  for  you." 

She  came  toward  us,  and  in  the  moonlight  1 
could  see  the  warm  glow  on  her  cheeks,  the 
merry  light  in  her  eyes,  and  the  happy  smile  on 
her  lips. 

Silently  she  walked  by  Fritz's  side,  and 
silently  the  prince  walked  by  mine.  Presently 
his  highness  said,  in  an  indifferent  tone  : 

"  I  think,  perhaps,  it  would  be  better  for  me 
to  take  French  leave,  otherwise  my  going  might 
disturb  the  company.  In  my  boyhood  I  learned 
all  the  paths  about  here,  and  if  I  push  through 
that  bush  yonder  I  can  in  a  moment  reach  the 
garden  gate  unobserved.  Good-night,  Fraulein 
von  Werthern." 

The  next  instant  ,the  bushes  closed  behind  the 
graceful  form,  and  he  had  disappeared. 

All  the  company  had  come  out  under  the 
trees,  and  the  singing  began.  Even  the  old 
folks  joined  in  the  refrain.  Lotta  sat  beside  her 


134  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


lover,  leaning  her  head  against  the  trunk  of  a 
tree,  and  looking  up  into  the  gently  waving 
branches.  Grandmother  came  up  to  me  quickly, 
and  whispered  : 

"  Take  me  home,  Helena,  I  want  to  go  to  rest. 
"  You  can  come  back,  you  know." 

But  I  remained  at  home,  and  sat  down  on  the 
balcony  that  looked  out  over  the  garden.  The 
lights  in  the  mansion  house  shone  brightly  through 
the  leaves  of  the  trees,  and  the  songs  they  sang 
below  me  reached  me  plainly  where  I  sat.  At 
length  the  strain  died  away  and  the  singers  dis- 
persed, but  the  nightingale  warbled  on  alone. 

I  heard  steps  on  the  path  beneath,  and  the 
rustle  of  a  woman's  dress.  It  was  Lotta  and 
Fritz.  They  paused  under  the  balcony.  "  Good- 
night," he  said  tenderly,  and  kissed  her  as  he 
spoke.  "  And  once  again  I  must  thank  you  for 
the  picture.  It  has  given  me  a  most  heartfelt 
pleasure." 

But  she  only  shook  her  head  hastily. 

"Good-night,"  she  said. 

Her  words  sounded  very  loud  and  very  cold  ; 
then  she  disappeared  like  a  sprite. 

We  retired  without  exchanging  a  word.  But 
during  the  night,  as  I  awoke  from  a  deep  slumber, 
I  saw  her  sitting  up  in  bed,  staring  into  the  moon- 
light, erect  and  motionless. 


CHAPTER   VI. 

ROTENBERG  stood  upon  its  head — it  is  no 
exaggeration  to  say  so.  The  little  sleepy  town 
appeared  to  have  been  suddenly  transformed. 
From  the  castle  tower  the  great  red-white  flag 
floated  gayly  in  the  soft  May  air,  and  all  the 
shops  were  decorated  with  smaller  ones  of  like 
color. 

It  looked  now  as  if  the  prince's  stay  would  be 
much  longer  than  we  had  imagined  from  his  care- 
less words  to  us  on  the  day  of  his  arrival.  On 
the  ground  floor  a  cook  appeared  with  his  long 
white  apron  and  cap  to  match,  and  on  the  even- 
ing of  the  second  day  several  carriages  and 
horses  and  two  lackeys  had  arrived.  The  prince 
had  come  to  stay,  at  least  until  some  new  whim 
called  him  away. 

It  was  a  pleasant  change  for  the  good  Roten- 
berg  folk.  There  was  to  be  a  concert  in  the 
park,  and  an  illumination  at  the  Hermitage. 
Booths  and  tents  had  been  put  up  for  Roten- 
berg's  annual  rifle  match  on  the  meadows  just 


136          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


before  the  prince's  arrival.  He  was  an  honor- 
ary member  of  the  association,  and  when  it  was 
known  that  he  would  be  present  at  the  match, 
the  club  erected  in  his  honor  a  gorgeous  tent  in 
the  ducal  colors,  red-  and  white.  On  every 
street  corner  were  pasted  enormous  play-bills  : 

"  DUCAL  COURT  THEATRE  OF  ROTENBERG. 
"  The  Beautiful  Galatea" 

The  morning  after  the  festivities  at  Frau 
Roden's,  we  were  awakened  from  our  slumber  by 
strains  of  solemn  music  :  it  was  the  town  band 
serenading  the  prince.  It  was  the  beginning  of 
a  jolly  season  for  the  young  people  of  the  town. 
We  alone  sat  quietly  at  home — more  quietly 
than  ever.  Lotta  had  chosen  the  little  balcony 
for  her  retreat,  and  there,  under  the  dark  red 
awning  which  I  had  constructed  out  of  some  old 
curtains,  she  sat,  day  after  day,  reading,  sewing, 
or  gazing  dreamily  into  the  garden.  She  was 
not  even  to  be  persuaded  to  take  a  walkj  for 
one  day,  as  we  wandered  along  a  lonely  forest 
path,  his  highness  suddenly  stood  before  us,  and 
with  the  most  gracious  persistency  had  com- 
pelled us  to  accept  his  company  for  the  rest  of 
our  walk.  He  brought  us  home  through  the 
main  street  and  past  the  Roden  mansion.  The 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          137 

villagers  opened  their  windows  to  look  after 
us.  Fritz,  who  saw  us  coming,  met  us  at  the 
gate  and  escorted  us  home  through  the  garden. 
He  made  no  remark,  neither  did  we,  but  after 
that  Lotta  would  not  go  out  any  more. 

One  day  a  lackey  brought  us  an  invitation  to  a 
"  bal  champetre  "  in  the  castle  grounds.  Lotta 
hardly  looked  at  the  note,  and  put  it  aside  at 
once. 

"  Can  we  refuse  ?  "  asked  grandmother,  with  a 
sigh. 

"I  certainly  shall,"  said  Lotta. 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  I  to  the  old  lady  ;  "  we  are 
in  mourning." 

"  For  me  he  is  only  an  unmarried  gentleman," 
explained  Lotta,  "  who  has  not  the  right  to 
receive  ladies.  The  people  here  may  esteem  it 
an  honor  to  obey  his  highness's  command,  but  I 
am  not  ambitious  for  such  a  distinction." 

"  I  am  sure  I  am  satisfied,"  said  the  old  lady, 
as  she  took  up  her  newspaper  and  buried  herself 
in  the  description  of  the  ceremonies  accompany- 
ing the  unveiling  of  the  statue  of  Friedrich  Wil- 
helm  III.,  in  the  pleasure  gardens  at  Berlin. 
Her  newspaper  was  the  only  thing  for  which 
grandmother  showed  any  interest ;  every  now 
and  then  as  she  read  she  gave  utterance  to  a  mur- 
mur of  approval  or  dissent,  then  she  would  shake 


138  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

her  head  in  anger  as  she  noted  the  disturbances 
the  French  were  making.  ,  Often  she  would  turn 
to  us  and  tell  with  great  vivacity  how,  in  her  early- 
youth,  she  had  heard  the  sound  of  the  guns  at 
the  battle  of  Leipsic.  Her  father's  estate  lay  on 
the  Saxon  frontier,  some  three  miles  from  the 
battle-field.  She  became  very  much  excited,  and 
seemed  to  renew  her  youth  during  these  narra- 
tions. "  We  shall  certainly  live  to  see  another 
Leipsic ! "  was  the  prophecy  with  which  she 
habitually  closed  her  recitals. 

"God  be  praised,  we  are  living  in  times  of  the 
most  profound  peace,"  I  whispered,  and  thought 
of  the  anxiety  I  had  suffered  on  account  of  Hans 
in  the  war  of  1866.  What  cared  I  for  Napoleon 
and  Luxembourg  and  the  Spanish  Succession  ? 
Here  at  home  a  battle  was  being  fought,  hard  and 
hot,  destroying  both  peace  and  happiness. 

Lotta  was  plainly  ill  at  ease  during  these  long 
spring  days,  and  evidently  had  something  on  her 
mind  often.  She  walked  the  rooms  impatiently 
and  with  flushed  cheeks,  and  twice  when  in  this 
restless  mood  sent  the  maid  hastily  across  the 
garden  for  Fritz,  as  though  she  had  something  to 
tell  him  which  she  could  no  longer  repress.  But 
on  each  occasion,  when  he  came  in  answer  to  her 
message,  she  shut  herself  in  her  room  as  soon  as 
his  footsteps  were  heard,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  139 


culty  I  could  induce  her  to  go  out  and  meet  the 
puzzled  lover  who  had  responded  to  her  bidding. 
The  meetings  were  painful  in  the  extreme,  for 
Lotta  sat  almost  silent,  manifestly  distressed  by 
his  presence,  so  that  he  soon  went  away  again, 
sad  and  anxious  as  he  had  come. 

On  the  day  on  which  we  had  despatched  our 
regrets  to  the  ball  Anita  appeared  : 

"  The  prince  had  sent  to  ask  whether  he 
might  pay  his  respects  to  Frau  von  Werthern  ? " 

The  old  lady  was  fairly  in  ecstasy  at  this  con- 
descension, and  informed  the  smiling  Anita  that 
she  would  consider  it  an  honor  to  receive  his 
highness. 

That  afternoon,  between  four  and  five,  he  came 
and  paid  his  respects  to  grandmother  in  the 
most  deferential  manner.  Lotta  was  not  visible. 
With  glistening  eyes  he  searched  for  a  moment 
in  every  corner  of  the  room,  and  then  chatted 
cheerily  about  all  sorts  of  harmless  things;  about 
his  mother,  about  his  visit  to  Baden-Baden,  his 
travels  in  the  East,  and,  finally,  he  spoke  of 
Rotenberg  and  of  his  ball,  and  just  at  that 
moment  Lotta  came  in. 

I  looked  at  her  in  surprise.  She  had  donned 
in  all  haste  a  white  summer  dress,  and  her  face 
was  as  colorless  as  the  gown  she  wore. 

Prince  Otto  sprang  to  his  feet  as  if  electrified. 


140  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  We  were  just  speaking  of  my  little  fete  ;  you 
must  come,  Fraulein  von  Werthern." 

"  I  regret  exceedingly  to  decline,  your  high- 
ness. You  know  that  we  are  still  in  mourning 
for  our  father,"  she  replied  pleasantly. 

"  Then  I  will  recall  the  invitations,"  he  cried. 

"  Oh,  by  no  means,  your  highness,"  she  stam- 
mered, blushing.  "  I  beg  that  you  will  excuse 
me  !  " 

He  made  no  answer,  and  in  a  few  moments 
took  his  departure. 

On  the  same  evening  letters  flew  through  the 
little  town  stating  that  the  fete  would  be  post- 
poned on  account  of  a  journey  which  the  prince 
was  about  to  undertake  ;  even  we  received  one 
of  the  missives. 

"God  be  praised,  he's  going  to  leave  the  town," 
I  said  to  myself.  But  he  had  no  such  thought. 

On  the  day  which  had  been  appointed  for  the 
ball,  he  sat  calmly  reading  by  his  open  window. 

Anita  came  across  the  street  to  speak  to  Lotta. 

"  I  am  bringing  back  some  paints  which  your 
sister  forgot,"  she  said,  and  slipping  by  me  went 
up  to  the  balcony  where  Lotta  sat  knitting 

I  wanted  to  follow  her,  but  I  feared  to  face 
Lotta,  for  I  knew  her  eyes  would  say,  "  What  do 
you  want  here  ?  " 

When  I  went  up  to  her  at  last,  I  found  them 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  141 


talking  of  Italy,  and  other  indifferent  things,  and 
the  colors  lay  upon  the  table. 

"  Do  you  know,  Helena,"  said  Lotta,  "  I  am 
going  to  take  lessons  in  Italian.  Anita  is  going 
to  teach  me,  and  we  have  begun  already.  Oh,  it 
is  a  heavenly  language  !  " 

I  looked  at  them  in  astonishment,  but  I  could 
find  no  valid  reason  for  my  repugnance  to  the 
arrangement. 

"  To  be  sure,  Lotta,  if  you  think  it  neces- 
sary— 

"  No,  it  is  not  necessary,"  she  retorted  with 
some  irritation,  "  neither  is  it  necessary  to  paint 
and  read  ;  I  suppose  you  think  that  all  that  sort 
of  thing  is  superfluous — art  and  beauty  and 
poetry, — none  of  those  things  are  necessary  ! 
Bah  !  It's  a  dreadful  word.  I  hate  it  !  " 

"  Well,  Lotta,  do  as  you  like  if  it  gives  you 
any  pleasure." 

She  was  right  enough,  but  the  teacher  was  the 
stumbling-block  to  me. 

"  Oh,  I  mean  to  do  it,  and  we  begin  to-mor- 
row." 

In  the  afternoon  she  put  on  her  straw  hat, 
took  her  little  portemonnaie,  and  went  out  ;  when 
she  came  back  she  brought  with  her  a  number  of 
copy-books  and  an  old  dilapidated  Italian  gram- 
mar ;  her  enthusiasm  was  always  at  red  heat 


142  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

over  anything  new.  That  evening  I  went  ovet 
tor  a  moment  to  see  Fran  Roden.  Fritz  had 
just  come  in  from  the  field,  and  I  met  him  in  the 
hall. 

"  Alone  ?  "  he  asked  sadly. 

'  Yes,  Fritz,  for  Lotta  is  learning  Italian  ;  she 
.otends  to  take  lessons  from  Anita."  And  in  my 
anxiety,  I  added  :  "  Don't  allow  her  to  do  it, 
Fritz;  put  your  foot  down  and  forbid  it." 

He  looked  at  me  with  open  eyes. 

"  I  forbid  it  ? "  he  said  bitterly,  and  turned 
and  went  into  his  room  without  another  word. 

Frau  Roden  turned  pale  when  I  told  her  of 
this  new  caprice,  but  she  suppressed  her  vexa- 
tion and  said  nothing.  As  I  was  leaving,  she 
said :  "  His  energy  is  all  gone,  Helena  ;  he  has 
always  been  a  determined  man,  but  he  seems 
utterly  powerless  now  to  bring  this  wretched 
business  to  an  end  with  one  firm  word.  Oh, 
Helena,  such  natures  feel  the  most ;  he  loves  her 
too  well,  too  well !  " 

I  tried  to  comfort  her,  and  said  that  Lotta's 
was  not  a  petty  nature,  that  she  had  pride  and 
nobility  enough  of  soul  to  keep  her  word  in  its 
entirety. 

But  the  old  lady  only  snook  her  head  :  "  Per- 
haps she  will,  I  don't  doubt  that,  but — well,  God 
will  help  !  "  She  dried  her  tears. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  143 

We  were  soon  well  into  the  summer,  and 
Rotenberg  was  enjoying  the  pleasures  of  the  sea- 
son, but  it  brought  little  change  into  our  quiet 
life.  There  was  music  in  the  Schutzen  Park  and 
in  the  concert  gardens  ;  in  the  evening  the  peo- 
ple went  in  crowds  to  the  theatre,  and  the  sounds 
of  their  footsteps  and  of  their  laughing  voices 
broke  the  silence  of  our  secluded  room.  In  the 
castle  opposite  the  windows  gleamed  brightly 
every  night,  but  there  was  evidently  something 
wrong,  for  Prince  Otto  was  no  longer  his  old 
self;  his  box  at  the  theatre  remained  empty,  his 
tent  at  the  Schutzen  Park  remained  empty,  and 
the  pretty  Rodenberg  maidens  donned  their 
most  becoming  costumes  in  vain.  Prince  Otto 
eschewed  society  ;  all  intercourse  between  him 
and  the  towns-people  was  cut  off. 

"  What  does  he  do  then  ?  "  they  asked  of  one 
another. 

*'  He  reads,  he  paints,  he's  in  a  bad  humor," 
said  Anita  to  us. 

"  What  about  ?  "  inquired  grandmother.  Anita 
shrugged  her  shoulders  and  made  no  reply. 

"  Is  he  not  going  away  soon  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Has  no  thought  of  it,"  rejoined  the  little 
Italian  ;  "  his  library  arrived  day  before  yester- 
day." 

Something  is  wrong  then,  I  thought  to  myself, 


/-1 4  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

and  looked  over  at  Lotta,  who,  however,  nevel 
raised  her  eyes  from  her  Italian  grammar. 

"  There  is  something  wrong,"  said  grand- 
mother, as  she  started  in  to  read  the  editorial  in 
her  newspaper  a  second  time.  Presently  she  laid 
down  her  paper  and  launched  out  into  a  long 
and  Circumstantial  discussion  of  the  house  of 
Hohenzollern,  of  Spain,  and  of  Napoleon  III. 

I  listened  very  inattentively,  for  my  thoughts 
were  with  Lotta  and  Fritz.  At  length  there 
came  a  day  which  I  can  never  forget. 

Lotta  had  risen  early  and  taken  her  seat  on  the 
balcony.  It  had  rained  the  night  before,  and  the 
heavens  were  darkened  with  heavy,  gray  clouds. 
The  girl  had  wrapped  herself  in  a  soft,  warm 
shawl  as  if  she  were  cold  ;  she  held  Schnips  on 
her  lap.  When  I  brought  her  her  breakfast  she 
looked  up  at  me  with  such  dull,  languid  eyes 
that  I  was  frightened. 

"  Lotta,"  I  said,  "  you  are  ill  ?  " 

"  I  believe  I  am,"  she  answered. 

"  What  is  wrong  with  you,  dear  ?  speak,"  I 
said  anxiously. 

"  Come  inside,"  she  replied. 

And  when  we  stood  inside  the  room,  she  said, 
in  curt,  hard  tones  :  "  It  has  got  to  end.  I  can- 
not bear  it  any  longer ;  I  cannot  keep  my  word 
to  Fritz  Roden." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  145 

Now  it  was  out. 

"  Lotta  !  " 

"I  cannot  do  it,"  she  repeated  firmly. 

And  as  I  remained  silent,  she  continued,  in  a 
quiet  voice  :  "  I  have  never  loved  him.  I  thought 
it  would  be  so  easy,  and  did  not  know  what  I  was 
doing  when  I  said  yes.  I  thought  I  could  not 
support  such  a  miserable  existence  as  we  are  now 
leading,  and,  indeed,  I  could  not  have  supported 
it,  and  then  there  was  Hans — I  hoped  to  save 
him.  You  know  what  I  mean,  Helena." 

She  put  her  arm  caressingly  on  my  shoulder, 
but  I  pushed  her  away  from  me  and  covered  my 
face  with  my  hands  ;  bitter  tears  ran  down  my 
cheeks. 

"  Well,  speak  anyway  !  "  she  cried  impatiently. 

"  Oh,  you  are  terrible  !  "  I  sobbed. 

"  How  so  ? "  she  said.  "  Good  heavens  !  is  it 
because  at  the  last  moment  I  have  the  courage 
to  confess  the  truth  ?  From  day  to  day  I  have 
hoped  that  he  would  throw  my  ring  at  my  feet  in 
honest  anger  ;  but  he  would  not  do  it,  and  now  I 
must  cut  the  knot.  I  can't  endure  it  any  longer. 
I  am  disgusted  with  this  farce.  Go  to  him, 
Helena,  tell  him  the  truth.  Make  me  as  bad  as 
you  will  or  can,  but  bring  me  my  freedom,  and 
bring  it  to  me  forthwith." 

She  had  spoken  in  a  loud  voice. 


146  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  I  cannot  do  it,"  I  replied  in  deep  distress. 

I  thought  of  his  true,  honest  eyes  and  his  sad 
face.  No,  I  could  not  do  it  !  I  turned  to  close 
the  door,  that  grandmother  might  not  hear  our 
conversation. 

"But  I  can  do  it,"  said  a  trembling  voice,  and 
in  the  doorway  we  saw  the  pale  face  of  Fritz's 
mother.  The  old  lady  stepped  into  the  room, 
which  was  only  faintly  lighted,  and  stood  before 
us.  Lotta  hung  her  head  before  her  for  the  first 
time. 

"  I  can  do  it,  Charlotte,"  she  repeated,  "  and 
I  will  do  it  at  once !  " 

She  ceased  speaking,  and  the  stillness  of  death 
reigned  in  the  little  room.  We  heard  only  the 
quick  breathing  of  the  mother,  who  wished  to 
speak,  but  could  not  for  her  pain.  Then  sud- 
denly she  turned  and  went  away  without  a  word, 
through  the  next  room  and  down  the  stairs. 

As  Frau  Roden  left  the  room,  I  felt  myself 
overcome  with  despair. 

"  Lotta,"  I  moaned,  "  Lotta,  do  reflect.  There 
is  yet  time.  Call  her  back.  Say  that  you  have 
spoken  too  quickly.  You  cannot  be  so  horribly 
cruel  and  hard.  You  have  always  kept  your 
word  ;  do  not  make  me  so  unhappy." 

"  For  that  very  reason  I  will  break  this  engage- 
ment," she  said  firmly  and  coldly. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  147 

I  ran  to  the  balcony.  The  indignant  mother 
was  far  on  her  way  home.  Her  step  was  not 
hesitating  or  slow,  but  brisk  and  firm,  as  if  she 
feared  a  recall.  Never  in  my  life  have  I  felt 
more  unhappy  and  humiliated  than  in  that  hour. 
This  was  our  gratitude  for  the  benefits  we  had 
received. 

Lotta  remained  calm  ;  she  began  to  make  her 
toilet.  Her  hands  trembled  a  little  and  a  faint, 
red  glow  marked  her  cheeks.  She  breathed 
deeply  and  freely,  as  if  a  mountain  had  been  lifted 
from  her  heart.  When  she  was  dressed  she  came 
over  to  grandmother. 

"  Grandmother,"  she  said  in  a  firm  voice,  "  I 
have  broken  off  my  engagement." 

The  old  lady  looked  at  her  with  a  dazed  air. 

"  Do  not  jest  on  such  a  subject,"  she  said 
severely. 

"  I  am  not  jesting.     I  cannot  marry  him." 

"  Why  not  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  love  him." 

"  And  what  right  had  you  then  to  go  through 
all  this  farce  ? "  cried  the  venerable  old  lady,  and 
her  eyes  flashed  fire.  "  Do  you  think  you  can 
play  with  an  honest  man's  heart  as  you  would 
with  your  dog  ?  Oh,  no,  child,  I  have  a  word 
to  say  on  that  subject.  If  you  in  childish  wan- 
tonness have  spoken  an  unjustifiable  word,  go  at 


148  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

once  to  your  lover  and  beg  his  pardon.  At 
once  !  " 

The  trembling  woman  raised  herself  almost 
out  of  her  chair  and  pointed  imperiously  toward 
the  door.  And  with  all  her  severity,  it  was  plain 
to  read  in  her  old  eyes  the  expression  of  a  name- 
less fear. 

"  Grandmother,"  said  Lotta,  almost  beside  her- 
self, "  you  cannot  wish  that  ?  You  dare  not 
wish  that  ? " 

"  I  wish  you  to  keep  the  pledge  which  you 
have  freely  given,"  came  the  answer.  "  Go  !  " 

"  I  go,  but  I  shall  not  come  again,"  replied 
the  girl  in  a  threatening  tone  ;  "  before  1  would 
marry  him,  I  would  rather  die." 

"  Go  !  "  repeated  the  old  lady  a  second  time. 

Lotta  turned  away  defiantly,  but  before  she 
reached  the  door,  before  I  could  hasten  after 
her,  the  coachman  had  entered  and  handed  her 
a  little  package.  She  grasped  it  eagerly  and  tore 
it  open.  As  she  did  so  her  ring  fell  from  the 
paper  on  to  the  floor,  and  rolled  over  to  my  feet. 

"Too  late,"  moaned  grandmother,  and  sank 
back  in  her  chair,  burying  her  grief-stricken  face 
in  the  cushions.  I  stooped,  picked  up  the  ring, 
and  placed  it  on  the  bureau. 

An  hour  later  I  determined  to  go  over  to  the 
mansion  house.  I  felt  that  I  must  speak  a  kind 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  149 


word  to  its  sorely  injured  inmates ;  but  my  heart 
was  sore  afraid.  I  feared  they  would  turn  me  out 
with  hatred  and  contempt  because  of  my  sister's 
acts.  As  I  reached  the  garden  gate,  I  saw  Anita 
standing  on  the  other  side  with  her  hand  on  the 
latch.  Sure  enough  this  was  Italian  day. 

"  I  do  not  believe  that  my  sister  will  be  pre- 
pared to-day  to — "  I  stammered. 

She  looked  at  me  inquiringly,  and  then  said  : 

"  I  will  ask.  I  can  go  away  again  if  it  is  not 
convenient." 

I  hastened  on  to  the  Roden  house.  Frau 
Roden  was  standing  in  the  hall  as  quietly  as  if 
nothing  had  happened,  watching  a  girl  pour  out 
the  foaming  milk.  She  did  not  see  me  until  I 
was  quite  near,  but  she  held  out  her  hand  at 
once.  Then  she  pointed  to  his  chamber  door, 
laid  her  finger  on  her  lips  and  led  me  upstairs. 
I  followed  her  into  the  room  which  we  had  occu- 
pied on  our  first  night  in  Rotenberg. 

"  He  might  come  into  my  room  down  stairs," 
she  explained,  "  and  he  could  not  bear  to  see 
you  to-day." 

She  drew  me  over  toward  a  small  sofa  which 
stood  between  the  windows. 

"Tell  me,"  I  begged,  "how  he  bears  it." 

She  had  overcome  her  emotion  by  this  time, 
yet  at  mv  words  the  tears  ran  down  her  cheeks. 


/5°  Two  Dtiiighters  of  One  Race. 


"  He  had  seen  it  coming,  of  course,"  she  said, 
"  but  nevertheless —  At  first  he  wanted  to  go 
over  to  her  ;  he  could  not  realize  what  had  hap- 
pened. Now  he  has  shut  himself  in  his  room. 
I  can  say  nothing,  for  in  such  moments  all  con- 
solation is  empty  and  vain.  After  a  while  he 
sent  David  over  ;  he  brought  her  the  ring,  did 
he  not  ?" 

I  answered  in  the  affirmative. 

"  It  is  ended  now,"  she  said.  "  \Vhy  must  this 
all  have  happened  ?  His  whole  heart  was  bound 
up  in  her." 

As  she  spoke  she  sprang  to  her  feet.  "  That 
was  his  voice  ;  he  is  calling  for  his  horse." 

We  stood  breathless  by  the  half  open  door 
and  listened.  He  was  speaking  calmly  to  old 
Miiller,  the  overseer  :  only  a  few  words  reached 
us  where  we  stood. 

"  The  news — Benedetti — never  heard  the  like 
before — war  will  be  upon  us  before  we  know  it." 

"  Suits  me  well  enough,"  we  heard  the  overseer 
answer. 

"  It  is  easy  for  him  to  talk,"  whispered  the  old 
lady,  "for  his  years  will  keep  him  safe  at  home." 

The  next  instant  we  heard  Fritz's  reply  : 

"  It  suits  me  too,  Miiller,  very  well." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  we  heard  the  sound  of 
his  horse's  hoofs,  as  he  rode  away.  I  hastened 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          15! 

to  the  window,  and  watched  him  ride  down  the 
street  and  past  our  house,  calm  and  erect  as 
ever.  His  mother  followed  his  course  with 
moist  and  shining  eyes. 

"  God  be  praised,"  said  I,  "  he  seems 
calm." 

"He  seems,"  replied  she  ;  "you  do  not  know 
my  boy." 

After  a  short  pause  she  added  :  "  There  goes 
the  first  news  of  the  breach  out  to  the  world," 
pointing  to  Anita,  who  was  hurrying  along  under 
the  chestnuts.  "  Phew !  that  will  be  a  sweet 
morsel  for  the  gossips,  and  his  highness,  too,  will 
not  be  sorry  to  hear  it." 

"The  prince?"  I  said  indignantly  ;  "what  dif- 
ference does  it  make  to  him  ? "  The  old  lady 
laid  her  hand  on  my  shoulder. 

"God  grant  that  it  may  not  end  in  tears." 

"  But  Lotta  is  not  thinking  of  him,  I  assure 
you." 

She  turned  away  without  an  answer,  pressed 
my  hand  silently,  and  as  she  saw  the  tears  in  my 
eyes,  she  tapped  me  softly  on  the  cheek. 

"  We  shall  remain  good  friends,  my  dear  ;  I 
am  not  one  of  those  who  visit  their  resentment 
upon  the  innocent.  Come  over  often ;  and  take 
a  greeting  from  me  now  to  my  old  friend  Frau 
von  Werthern." 


152  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

''  Do  you  think  this  talk  about  the  war  is  seri- 
ous ?"  I  asked. 

"  God's  will  be  done,"  she  answered.  "  I  fear 
the  worst." 

When  I  reached  our  rooms  again,  I  found 
Lotta  sitting  at  the  window  in  the  front  room  ; 
she  did  not  move,  and  I  passed  her  by  and  went 
over  to  where  grandmother  was  sitting.  Grand- 
mother's jewel  casket  lay  open  before  her,  and 
she  was  looking  at  a  pair  of  splendid  diamond 
earrings. 

'"  This  is  the  last,"  she  whispered,  and  the  gems 
glittered  coldly  in  her  trembling  hand.  "  Pack 
them  up,  Helena,  and  send  them  to  Friedbcrg  & 
Sons,  Unter  den  Linden  ;  and  there  is  the  let- 
ter which  is  to  accompany  them.  I  have  writ- 
ten- it  very  badly,  for  my  old  arms  are  very 
lame." 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do,  grandmother  ?  "  I 
asked  fearfully. 

I  knew  the  earrings :  they  were  a  souvenir  of 
the  days  of  youth  and  happiness  :  the  old  lady 
never  looked  at  them  without  tears. 

"  They  were  a  present  from  my  husband  the 
day  the  boy  was  born,"  she  had  frequently  ex- 
plained to  us. 

"  The  boy  "  was  my  father,  and  he  was  lying 
now  in  the  churchyard  at  Berlin.  But  these 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.     .      153 

stones  had  always  possessed  the  power  to  bring 
back  as  by  a  charm  the  fairest  hour  in  her  life — 
when  father  lay  in  his  cradle,  a  crowing,  laughing 
babe,  and  grandmother's  dear  old  face,  so  faded 
and  wrinkled  now,  was  fresh  and  bright  and 
young,  and  wreathed  with  happy  smiles  for  hus- 
band and  child. 

"  What  do  you  mean  to  do  ?  " 

"  Pay  back  to  Fritz  Roden  the  sum  which 
he  advanced  to  Hans.  What  does  he  care  for 
Hans?" 

"  He  will  be  hurt,"  I  interposed. 

"  I  will  not  accept  alms,"  she  replied  proudly. 
"Lotta  herself  has  begged  me  to  do  it." 

I  did  as  she  bade  me  ;  but  as  I  looked  at  her 
face  I  saw  that  her  features  were  terribly  dis- 
torted :  the  marks  of  care,  torturing,  agonizing 
care  and  fear. 

"  What  will  become  of  you  and  Lotta  ?  "  she 
whispered.  "And  then  the  clouds  which  threaten 
us  from  France.  When  you  come  back,  Helena, 
I  want  you  to  read  the  paper  to  me.  The  king 
is  in  Berlin,  the  city  is  in  the  greatest  excite- 
ment. Thiers  has  spoken  for  peace  ;  as  if  that 
could  do  any  good.  I  am  awfully  afraid,  Helena. 
I  thought  once  I  should  die  happy  if  I  could 
know  our  country  once  more  victorious  over  the 
French,  who  have  done  us  so  much  harm.  But 


154  TU'°  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

now  I  want  to  die  in  peace.  Yet  I  shall  never 
live  to  see  the  end  of  the  struggle." 

"  Oh,  grandmother,"  I  pleaded,  "do  not  speak 
so."  I  could  think  of  nothing  to  say  which 
would  comfort  her.  I  sealed  the  package,  and 
pursuant  to  her  wish  I  was  about  to  take  it  my- 
self to  the  post-office,  when  my  eyes  rested  on 
Lotta.  She  was  still  at  the  window  ;  her  hand- 
kerchief was  in  her  hand,  and  she  was  waving  a 
greeting  to  some  one  outside.  As  I  cast  an  as- 
tonished glance  out  of  the  window  and  across 
to  the  castle  I  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  retiring 
form,  behind  which  the  heavy  curtains  fell  to- 
gether. 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  cried  reproachfully. 

She  turned  about,  and  for  a  moment  there 
played  upon  her  girlish  face  a  rosy,  happy  smile  ; 
then  her  look  changed,  and  her  features  settled 
into  the  old  hard,  severe  expression. 

"What  do  you  wish?"  she  asked  sullenly. 

"  Nothing,"  I  exclaimed,  and  hurried  past  her 
into  the  street.  As  I  went  my  way  I  kept  saying 
to  myself,  "  No,  no ;  it  is  impossible ;  it  is  impos- 
sible. I  must  have  made  a  mistake." 

That  evening  the  castle  windows  remained 
dark ;  but  about  ten  o'clock  a  wagon  rattled 
through  our  street,  and  I  fancied  that  some  one 
waved  a  handkerchief  toward  our  windows. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  155 

That  night  I  wanted  to  ask  Lotta  frankly  if  I  had 
been  making  a  mistake,  or  if  I  had  really  seen 
what  I  thought  I  had  observed.  But  when  I 
entered  our  bed-chamber  she  was  already  slum- 
bering, and  her  lips  were  wreathed  with  an  un- 
conscious smile.  I  did  not  rouse  her,  but  went 
back  to  grandmother,  who  was  wakeful  and 
wanted  me  to  read  to  her.  The  old  lady  lay 
propped  up  in  her  pillows  with  her  hands  folded 
on  her  breast.  Her  pale  lips  moved  but  slightly. 

"  God  grant  that  it  may  all  come  out  right. 
May  he  watch  over  our  king  and  country,"  she 
said  at  last,  as  I  ceased  reading  from  sheer  ex- 
haustion. "  We  are  on  the  eve  of  great  events, 
and  there  is  coming  a  time  of  mighty  deeds  and 
terrible  suffering,  Helena  ;  but  remember  what 
I  say — the  victory  will  be  ours,  the  victory  will 
be  ours  ! " 

I  looked  at  her  questioningly,  for  I  had  read 
almost  mechanically ;  my  thoughts  were  with 
Lotta.  The  words  had  fallen  from  my  lips  like 
empty  sounds.  But  I  remembered  now  ;  it  was 
war  that  threatened  us.  And  I  remembered, 
too,  how  on  that  very  morning  Fritz  had  hailed 
the  awful  tidings  with  delight,  for  he  wished  to 
forget. 

Toward  morning  a  violent  storm  swept  over 
the  town.  A  terrible  clap  of  thunder  aroused 


156  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


both  Lotta  and  myself.  The  rain  rattled  sharply 
on  the  tin  roof  of  the  balcony  and  against  the 
window  frames.  I  arose  and  prepared  to  go  in 
to  grandmother,  for  she  was  always  terrified  by  a 
storm.  I  had  to  pass  close  by  Lotta's  bed,  and 
as  I  did  so  she  opened  her  eyes  and  gave  me  a 
bright  look  from  underneath  her  long  lashes  ;  then 
she  put  out  her  hand  and  laid  hold  of  my  gown. 

"  Helena,  are  you  angry  with  me  ?  "  And  as  I 
looked  at  her  with  an  earnest  face,  she  loosed  her 
hold  and  said  :  "  Oh,  you  are  so  different  from 
me  ;  so  rational,  so  cold,  so  eternally  calm  and 
self-contained.  Did  your  heart  ever  beat  so  fast, 
Helena,  that  you  could  not  breathe  ?  Were  you 
ever  fairly  dizzy  with  sheer  joy  and  happiness  ?" 

"  Let  me  go,"  I  cried,  irritated  and  incensed. 
"  Perhaps  I  may  understand  you  some  time,  but 
I  cannot  comprehend  you  now.  I  am  too  sad 
and  care-oppressed.  Now  let  me  go  to  grand- 
mother ;  she  was  so  greatly  excited  yesterday." 

"  I  shall  get  up,  too,"  Lotta  called  after  me. 
"  I  fancy  that  this  rain  will  have  brought  all  the 
roses  in  the  garden  to  full  bloom."  Her  voice 
sounded  so  fresh  and  joyous  ;  it  had  not  such  a 
ring  for  a  long  time. 

The  old  lady  was  still  sleeping.  Motionless 
she  lay  in  her  pillows  just  as  I  had  left  her  the 
night  before.  Another  terrible  crash  of  thunder 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          15? 

shook  the  house  to  its  foundation,  but  she 
neither  opened  her  eyes  nor  moved.  I  crept 
softly  to  her  bed  and  bent  over  her.  Her  coun- 
tenance as  she  lay  cushioned  in  the  downy  pil- 
lows was  strangely  white  and  calm.  In  speech- 
less terror  I  seized  her  hand — it  was  cold  as  ice. 
That  was  not  sleep  !  I  gave  a  piercing  scream 
of  horror  and  despair,  and  fell  upon  the  floor. 
We  were  alone  in  the  world — absolutely  alone. 
Lotta,  hearing  my  cry,  came  running  into  the 
room  in  her  night-dress.  Her  frightened  eyes 
took  in  at  a  glance  the  horrible  truth.  "  Dead  !  " 
she  cried,  and  a  nervous  shudder  seized  her 
frame. 

"  Dead,  dead,"  I  sobbed,  "  and  it  is  your  fault 
Our  only  protection,  our  only  refuge." 

This  time  Lotta  was  the  stronger,  and  showed 
the  greater  self-control. 

"  Helena,  be  calm.  Give  me  your  hand  and 
get  up  ;  we  are  not  unprotected.  Do  not  look 
at  the  darkest  side  alone."  As  she  spoke  she 
stepped  across  my  prostrate  form,  and  bent  her 
warm  young  face  over  the  wrinkled  hand  of  the 
dead. 

"  Grandmother,  forgive  me  !  " 

While  I  lay  on  the  floor  by  the  dead  like  one 
destroyed,  Lotta  hastened  to  dress.  Soon  I 
heard  her  send  the  charwoman  over  to  Anita 


158  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


with  the  news  of  our  loss.  A  short  time  after- 
ward the  little  Italian  appeared  in  the  chamber 
of  death. 

Lotta  and  she  lifted  me  up  and  brought  me 
into  our  bedroom.  I  felt  the  cologne  water  with 
which  they  bathed  my  temples,  and  drank  me- 
chanically the  black  coffee  which  Lotta  offered 
to  me.  Then,  as  if  in  a  dream,  I  heard  her  say : 

"See  to  it,  Anita,  that  the  letter^goes  off  at 
once." 

".Certainly,  Fraulein.  You  need  not  trouble 
yourself  about  anything.  I  will  care  for  every- 
thing. Just  now  I  will  open  the  windows  in  the 
other  room  and  set  things  to  rights  there.  I  will 
bring  some  flowers  from  the  garden,  and  arrange 
your  poor  grandmother  just  as  you  would  wish. 
And  if  you  should  desire  to  give  any  orders  for 
the  mourning  or  for  the  coffin — 

At  this  point  I  lifted  my  head  from  the  couch. 

"  You  shall  not  touch  Frau  von  Werthern,"  I 
cried. 

"But,  Helena,"  said  Lotla  soothingly,  "you 
cannot  possibly  attend  to  everything."  But  with- 
out heeding  her  words  I  rose  and  went  into 
grandmother's  room  and  closed  the  door  behind 
me.  They  did  not  attempt  to  follow  me,  and  I 
sat  down  by  the  bedside  of  the  woman  who  had 
been  the  only  mother  I  had  ever  known,  over- 


To-'O  Daughters  of  One  Race.  159 

come  by  the  thought  that  with  her  death,  Lotta 
and  I  had  lost  the  last  stay  of  our  young  lives. 

I  had  been  there  quite  a  while  when  my 
revery  was  broken  by  the  touch  of  a  soft  hand 
on  my  shoulder.  "Poor  child,"  said  the  gentle 
voice  of  Frau  Roden.  "  My  dear,  good  old 
friend."  And  she  stroked  the  wrinkled  cheeks 
of  the  dead  with  a  loving  hand.  She  laid  a 
linen  handkerchief  over  the  sightless  eyes,  and 
crossed  the  listless  hands  upon  the  breast  whose 
heaving  was  all  past  now  ;  then  she  smoothed 
out  the  folds  of  the  coverlid,  and  turning  to  me, 
said  : 

"  Come,  Helena,  I  will  draw  the  curtains  and 
open  the  window  yonder.  Come  out  of  this 
close  room.  Your  grandmother  will  sleep  on 
here  peacefully  and  still,  for  she  has  passed  into 
that  rest  which  brings  surcease  of  sorrow  and 
relief  from  care.  Let  us  go  over  into  your  bed- 
chamber ;  we  will  be  alone  there." 

As  we  passed  through  the  sitting-room  Lotta 
sat  at  the  desk,  writing.  Anita  was  bustling  about 
in  heavy  crape  already.  Great  God  !  It  must 
be  so  !  Happy  are  they  who,  in  such  an  hour, 
can  preserve  an  undisturbed  exterior.  On  reach- 
ing my  room,  I  sank  into  a  chair  like  one  be- 
numbed. 

"  Keep  your  courage  up,  my  dear    Helena," 


160  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

said  Fran  Roden.  "  Remember  that  your  grand- 
mother was  very  old,  and  it  was  quite  natural 
that  she  should  at  last  close  her  eyes  in  death." 

She  said  no  more,  for  she  must  have  felt  that 
her  words  contained  no  comfort  for  me. 

"  It  is  too  much  for  me  to  bear,"  I  burst  forth, 
"  too  much  ;  and  all  at  once.  What  will  become 
of  Lott^  ?  O  Lotta  !  " 

"  God  will  not  desert  either  of  you,  Helena." 

"  Yes,  yes  ;  if  God  would  only  give  me  that 
assurance  himself,  loud  and  clear."  But  no 
answer  came  from  the  upper  world  in  response 
to  my  despairing  cry,  "  What  now  ? " 

We  sat  together  a  long  time,  and  then  my 
visitor  arose. 

"  I  will  go  now,  Helena,"  she  whispered,  "  and 
take  charge  of  everything ;  the  last  rites  for  the 
dead,  and  food  for  the  living." 

She  broke  off  suddenly  as  Lotta  opened  the 
door  and  put  her  head  into  the  room. 

"  Helena,  what  do  you  think  ;  shall  we  fix  the 
burial  for  the  ipth  of  July  ?  "  she  asked. 

.1  raised  my  head  and  thought  a  moment ;  it 
was  then  the  lyth. 

"So  soon  ?  "  said  I. 

"  There's  no  reason  for  delay,  Helena.  Set  a 
day  yourself  if  you're  not  suited  ;  the  undertaker 
must  know," 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          161 

As  she  spoke  I  became  aware  of  the  presence 
of  that  functionary  behind  her. 

Fran  Roden's  countenance  wore  an  expression 
of  infinite  astonishment.  I  gave  a  silent  nod  of 
absent,  and  Lotta  disappeared. 

"  I  see  I  am  not  needed  here,  Helena."  The 
old  lady's  voice  trembled  as  she  spoke  ;  "Anita  is 
managing  everything ;  but,  Helena,  if  you  want  a 
word  of  good  cheer  at  any  time  come  over  to  us." 
She  stroked  my  cheek  with  her  hand  once  or 
twice,  and  went  away. 

Lotta  acted  for  me  in  everything.  That  even- 
ing we  were  sitting  in  the  living-room  ;  the  can- 
dles had  not  been  lighted,  and  neither  of  us  spoke 
a  word.  After  a  while  Lotta  began  to  wander 
restlessly  about  the  room  ;  her  dark  form  glided 
noiselessly  across  the  floor  from  side  to  side  like 
the  spirit  of  the  night. 

"  I  wish  ypu'd  say  something,"  she  broke  out 
at  length. 

"  I  am  very  sad  and  fearful,"  I  said. 

"  Oh,  matters  will  brighten  for  us  soon." 

"  Where  do  you  get  this  courage,  Lotta  ? " 
said  I  ;  "  we  are  worse  off  than  the  beggars  in 
the  street." 

"Nous  verrons !  "  she  replied  ;  "  I  do  not  de- 
spair so  easily." 

"  You  have  trifled  away  our  only  refuge." 


162  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Oh,  there's  more  than  one  refuge  for  us  ;  I  am 
not  afraid."  Her  voice  rang  out  so  clear  and 
confident.  Involuntarily  I  asked  again  :  "  What's 
the  secret  of  your  courage  ? " 

But  as  she  made  no  reply,  I  continued  :  "  I 
have  no  fear  on  my  own  account ;  when  I  am 
forty  years  of  age,  you  know,  I  will  get  my  pen- 
sion, and  until  then  I  can  support  myself  by  my 
own  labor.  But  you,  Lotta  !  How  can  you  go 
among  strangers  ?  Service  is  so  hard  !  " 

*'  I  ?  "  Her  voice  sounded  as  if  she  were 
amused,  but  she  said  no  more,  and  recommenced 
her  walk.  From  time  to  time  she  arrested  her 
steps  at  the  open  window  as  if  listening  for  some- 
thing. The  hours  crept  slowly  by,  and  the  clock 
in  the  castle  tower  struck  eleven. 

"  Come,"  I  said,  "  let's  go  to  bed  ;  perhaps  we 
shall  find  relief  in  sleep." 

"  No,  I  cannot  sleep  for  a  long  time  yet,"  she 
replied  hastily  ;  "  remain  up  with  me,  Helena,  I 
beg  you,  please  do." 

I  leaned  my  head  back  and  fixed  my  eyes  again 
on  the  thin  ray  of  light  which  came  in  through 
the  door  of  the  room  where  grandmother  lay. 

"  A  corpse  is  so  terribly  uncanny  in  the  house ; 
one  seems  always  to  hear  a  breathing  or  a  groan- 
ing or  a  rustling.  Do  you  hear  nothing?  "  whis- 
pered Lotta. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  163 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  but  it  is  imagination." 

*'  Oh,  no,  no,  there's  a  wagon  coming  !  Listen  ! 
I  kne\v  I  could  not  be  mistaken."  She  has- 
tened to  the  window  and  leaned  far  out  on  the 
sill. 

I  heard  a  wagon  drive  past  at  a  rapid  pace, 
and  in  a  few  seconds  the  noise  died  out ;  the 
vehicle  h:id  probably  reached  its  destination. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Lotta  ?  "  I  asked, 
seeing  that  she  continued  to  peer  out  into  the 
darkness.  I  went  over  and  sat  down  beside  her 
and  took  hold  of  her  hand.  She  made  no  answer, 
but  I  felt  that  she  was  trembling,  and  that  her 
breathing  was  heavy.  She  seemed  to  be  look- 
ing intently  at  the  castle.  Presently  a  low  light 
gleamed  through  the  curtains  of  the  prince's 
apartments,  then  the  curtains  were  thrown  back 
and  a  man's  form  appeared  before  the  open  win- 
dow. Lotta  was  motionless  as  a  statue.  Then 
there  was  a  sound  like  the  clapping  of  hands,  the 
curtains  fell  together  and  the  form  disappeared. 

"  Helena  !  Helena  !  "  whispered  Lotta,  as  she 
flung  her  arm  about  my  neck.  "O  Helena!" 
Then  she  drew  me  into  the  room,  forced  me  down 
upon  the  sofa,  fell  upon  her  knees  before  me, 
and  buried  her  hot  face  in  my  lap. 

"  Do  not  grieve,  dear,  do  not  be  anxious  ;  all 
will  be  well  '  " 


164  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


In  a  moment  I  remembered  the  words  of  Frau 
Roden  :  "  How  glad  his  highness  will  be  to  learn 
of  Lotta's  freedom."  Could  it  be  possible  that 
she  was  right  ? 

"  For  God's  sake,  Lotta,  what  do  you  mean  ? 
Lotta,  that  would  be  horrible  ! " 

"  I  do  not  know  what  you  are  thinking  of,"  she 
replied  excitedly  ;  "  do  not  ask  me  any  questions, 
and  do  not  be  cast  down.  I  am  not  an  object  of 
pity,  be  sure  of  that  !  " 

"  Lotta,"  I  said,  taking  her  hand,  "  I  can  work, 
and  I  will  care  for  you  if  you'll  promise  me — 

"  I  will  promise  nothing  ! "  she  said  proudly. 
"  I  say  to  you  again  I  will  be  no  burden  to  you. 
I  would  rather  go  to  America  to  Hans  ;  but  say 
no  more,  I  am  not  in  the  least  desperate." 

She  lit  a  candle  and  went  into  our  sleeping- 
room,  and  began  to  prepare  for  bed. 

I  remained  alone  in  the  dark  chamber.  My 
thoughts  busied  themselves  ceaselessly  with  our 
future.  What  should  we  do  ?  Should  we  go 
back  to  Berlin  ?  Where  else  could  we  go  ? 
Lotta  would  find  a  home  in  the  house  of  her 
guardian,  and  I — well,  I  was  not  anxious  for 
myself.  At  last,  overcome  by  fatigue,  I  gave  up 
the  attempt  to  solve  the  problem.  I  arose,  felt 
my  way  through  the  dark  rooms,  and  threw 
myself  on  the  bed  without  undressing. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

I  WOKE  on  the  following  morning  with  a 
heavy  heart  and  an  aching  head  ;  a  terrible  bur- 
den had  fallen  upon  me. 

I  raised  myself  in  bed,  and  saw  a  ray  of  sun- 
light coming  in  through  the  curtains.  Lotta  had 
made  her  bed  and  left  me  alone,  and  in  the  ad- 
joining room  I  heard  a  low  voice  which  I  recog- 
nized as  Anita's.  I  thought  there  was  a  certain 
humility  in  its  tones,  which  I  had  never  recog- 
nized before.  After  a  time  I  went  in  to  join 
them.  Lotta  was  standing  already  dressed  be- 
fore her  writing-table,  her  head  was  resting  upon 
it ;  she  was  evidently  thinking  deeply  ;  she  spoke 
no  word,  however,  but  only  nodded  her  head  to 
me  as  I  came  in. 

Anita  had  disappeared. 

Oh,  the  oppressive  stillness,  the  suffocating 
feeling  of  the  room,  in  spite  of  the  cool  morning 
air  !  Near  Lotta's  teacup  lay  a  bouquet  of  orange 
blossoms,  and  its  heavy,  rich  perfume  made  my 
head  ache  worse. 

The     morning  was  passed   by  us  in  absolute 


1 66  Tu'o  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

silence  ;  I  had  not  a  particle  of  energy,  and  lay 
passively  on  the  sofa.  Lotta  wrote  ;  I  thought 
of  nothing,  I  only  wanted  quiet.  Once  I  heard 
heavy  steps  in  the  next  room,  and  whispers — the 
coffin  had  been  brought.  I  had  not  the  heart  to 
look  again  at  the  still,  placid  face. 

Meanwhile,  on  this  self-same  morning,  the 
storm — that  fearful  and  destructive  storm  which 
was  to  command  the  interest  and  attention  of 
the  entire  world,  was  gathering. 

Men  deserted  their  various  callings,  and  stood 
on  the  street  corners  discussing  the  "  declara- 
tion of  war "  which  might  come  at  any  mo- 
ment. 

From  house  to  house  and  from  heart  to  heart 
flew  the  one  thought  : 

"  The  old  enemy.  To  defeat  him,  we  will  lay 
once  more  our  all  upon  our  country's  altar  ;  not 
our  worldly  possessions  alone,  but  our  very  heart's 
blood." 

None  thought  of  individual  griefs  ;  had  they 
not  all  one  common  trouble  ?  Would  they  not 
all  unite  to  protect  the  Fatherland  from  the  blow 
which  had  been  struck  at  her  honor  ?  Ah,  had 
one  been  able  to  wander  unseen  through  the 
towns  and  villages  of  Germany  during  this  dread- 
ful summer,  and  have  entered  the  houses  or  huts, 
how  much  noble  self-sacrifice,  how  much  enthu- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  167 


siasm,  what  great  magnanimity  he  would  have 
witnessed  !  And  yet  I  sat  there  in  a  stupor,  and 
could  hardly  understand  it  at  all. 

War  :  really  war.  What  did  it  mean  ?  Tears 
and  suffering,  suffering  and  tears  !  Was  there 
not  enough  sorrow  already  ?  That  was  all  it  was 
possible  for  me  to  comprehend  then. 

The  day  went  by  as  all  days,  no  matter  how 
weary,  do,  and  on  the  next  was  the  funeral. 

At  eleven  o'clock  I  heard  them  carrying  the  cof- 
fin down  the  stairs,  and  knew  it  would  be  borne 
through  the  garden  to  meet  the  hearse  at  the  car- 
riage road.  I  had  shut  myself  up  in  the  only 
place  where  I  could  be  unmolested  and  hear  little, 
the  kitchen  ;  the  only  sound  that  came  to  my 
ear  was  the  church  bell,  which  Frau  Roden  had 
ordered  to  be  tolled.  And  mixed  with  this  peace- 
ful and  solemn  sound  the  cry  was  echoing  :  "  To 
arms  !  War  is  declared  !  "  I  knew  nothing  of 
it  until  Lotta  rushed  into  my  room.  The  pastor 
coming  from  the  burial  had  brought  the  news. 
She  was  very  pale,  and  trembling  in  every  limb, 
and  was  wringing  her  hands  while  she  told  me. 
Her  very  glance  seemed  to  rouse  me  from  my 
lethargy. 

"  Helena,  it  is  fearful  !  "  she  gasped. 

1  followed  her  into  the  living-room,  where  the 
clergyman  was  still  standing.  From  the  street? 


1 68  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


I  could  hear  the  sharp  cries  arousing  every  one 
to  action. 

"  You  will  think  less  of  your  sorrow,  with  this 
universal  calamity  upon  us  all,"  said  the  old 
man  ;  "  you  must  do  your  part  ;  a  common  cause 
brings  with  it  much  trust,  much  friendliness." 

After  he  had  gone  I  went  up  to  Lotta  and 
put  my  arms  around  her  ;  she  was  greatly  agitated, 
and  I  could  feel  how  her  heart  beat  as  she  again 
whispered  : 

"  It  is  fearful  !  I  had  believed  up  to  this  day 
that  the  storms  would  pass  over." 

"  Donotbe  so  alarmed,  Lotta,"  I  said  ;  "  we  are 
together,  we  have  each  other  !  "  She  trembled 
so  violently  that  her  fear  brought  my  old  courage 
back  to  me.  "  We  are  the  daughters  of  a  soldier," 
I  said,  freeing  my  arms  from  hers  and  standing 
in  front  of  her,  "  and  we  have  both  known  much 
sorrow — and  have  none  to  lose.  If  our  father 
was  alive,  or  Hans  was  here — 

She  hardly  heeded  a  word  I  said,  but  leaned 
against  the  door  as  if  for  support,  with  her  hands 
pressed  to  her  heart ;  after  a  time  she  turned 
back  to  the  window  again.  Plainly  she  was  under 
the  influence  of  some  deep  emotion  of  which  I 
knew  nothing. 

Then  we  heard  steps  on  the  stairs  outside  and 
a  knock  at  the  door ;  it  was  Anita,  all  breathless. 


Daughters  of  One  Race.          169 


Her  glance  sought  Lotta's,  but  Lotta  gave  no 
answering  sign  :  apparently  they  would  have  had 
much  to  say  to  one  another  if  my  presence  had 
not  checked  them. 

"  You  know  it  already,"  she  began  at  last,  in 
an  embarrassed  manner.  "  The  war — also  that 
his  highness  will  start  immediately."  I  did  not 
see  Lotta's  countenance,  for  she  had  turned  away  ; 
but  my  heart  seemed  lighter  after  I  heard  it,  and 
I  rose  softly  and  left  the  room.  No  matter  what 
terror  the  news  of  war  had  brought,  it  was  a  bless- 
ing to  hear  it  had  hastened  the  prince's  depart- 
ure, especially  if  he  had  had  any  tender  feeling 
for  Lotta.  I  was  surprised  when  Anita  ran  rap- 
idly across  the  garden  to  the  castle  a  moment 
later.  I  went  back  to  Lotta  at  once,  and  found 
her  standing  in  the  middle  of  the  room  with  her 
hands  over  her  face. 

"  What  is  the  matter  with  you,  Lotta  ? "  I 
asked. 

As  I  spoke  she  dropped  her  arms,  and  I  saw 
traces  of  tears  in  her  eyes  ;  her  mouth  seemed 
drawn,  and  although  a  half  smile  played  around 
it,  there  was  a  set,  pained  expression  also. 

But  Lotta  answered  nothing,  and  I  had  no 
thought  of  the  events  that  were  so  soon  to  crowd 
upon  me.  I  gave  no  further  thought  to  our 
future  during  that  hour ;  what  mattered  our 


170  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 


isolated  grief  at  such  a  time.  The  old  woman 
that  came  in  to  prepare  our  simple  dinner  never 
murmured,  although  she  had  three  sons,  who 
must  all  go,  and  the  eldest  had  a  wife  and  chil- 
dren, and  a  little  business  of  his  own. 

As  she  put  the  dishes  on  the  table  she  said  : 

"  Herr  Roden  has  just  called  the  people  to- 
gether in  the  court-yard,  and  made  a  speech  to 
them.  He  is  going,  too,"  she  added,  turning  to 
look  at  Lotta  with  a  not  altogether  friendly  glance. 
"  And  no  one  can  tell  who  will  come  back." 

Ah,  he  ! — I  had  not  thought  of  him  to-day,  but 
I  looked  at  Lotta  as  the  old  servant  ceased 
speaking.  Would  not  her  heart  throb  with  re- 
morse ?  Would  she  let  him  go  without  one 
word,  without  a  prayer  for  his  forgiveness  ? 
But  Lotta  said  not  a  word.  She  sat  at  the  table 
supporting  her  head  with  her  hand  and  eating 
nothing. 

From  the  streets  we  heard  shouts  of  "  Down 
with  the  French  !  "  and  war-cries  echoing  on  all 
sides,  but  no  word  was  spoken  in  our  silent 
room.  I  sat  at  the  window,  and  Lotta  at  her 
escritoire. 

She  looked  hastily  through  all  the  drawers,  tore 
up  some  letters  and  tied  others  together,  but  I 
could  not  understand  why.  I  attempted  once 
or  twice  to  speak  of  Fritz  Roden,  but  gave  it  up, 


Two  Dattghters  of  One  Race. 


finally,  for  I  did  not  know  how  to  begin.  Once 
or  twice  she  turned  around  as  if  she  had  some- 
thing to  say  to  me,  and  once  she  rose  and  came 
to  the  window  beside  me,  but  she  did  not  speak  ; 
I  could  tell  that  something  was  agitating  her,  for 
the  color  came  and  went  in  her  cheeks.  She 
did  not  look  once  toward  the  castle  windows, 
although  the  prince  appeared  at  them  several 
times. 

"  I  am  almost  choking,"  she  said  at  last ;  "  I 
wish  it  were  evening." 

Toward  dusk  I  rose  and  asked  her  if  she 
would  not  accompany  me  to  the  church-yard  ? 

"  To-morrow  !  to-morrow  !  "  she  repeated. 
"  Leave  me  alone  to-day  ;  I  will  go  in  the  garden 
for  a  little  fresh  air."  And  as  I  stepped  out  of 
the  door  she  came  hastily  after  me. 

"  Helena  !  " 

I  thought  she  had  something  important  to 
tell  me  from  her  excited  manner,  but  she  only 
said  : 

"  When  you  are  praying  at  the  grave  do  not 
forget  me  !  When  will  you  be  back  ?  " 

"  I  hardly  know,  Lotta — soon." 

And  so  we  parted.  Lotta  had  never  made  a 
confidante  of  me.  She  only  trusted  her  own 
will. 

The  noise  and  bustle  without  was  in  great  con- 


i  7  2  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

trast  to  our  quiet  house  of  mourning.  Many 
horses  were  standing  in  the  court-yard,  and  I 
could  hear  Fritz  Roden's  voice  giving  orders  to 
the  stable  boys,  who  ran  hither  and  thither  ;  and 
the  old  shepherd,  who  remembered  the  war  of 
1813,  was  holding  forth  to  a  small  audience  in 
front  of  the  kitchen  windows.  I  hurried  across 
the  court  as  rapidly  as  possible. 

In  the  streets  all  was  noise  and  confusion  : 
wives  lamenting  anxiously  and  sorrowfully,  hus- 
bands preparing  actively  for  they  hardly  knew 
what,  and  children  singing  stirring  songs  of  the 
Fatherland. 

But  all  was  quiet  in  the  little  church-yard.  I 
remained  for  a  long  time  by  the  newly-made 
grave,  and  when  I  turned  my  face  toward  home 
it  had  grown  quite  dark. 

The  town  was  still  excited,  tumultuous  bands 
were  playing,  and  loud  "  Hurrahs !  "  were  shouted 
on  every  corner ;  but  by  this  time  all  had  grown 
quiet  in  our  little  street.  I  threw  a  glance  at  the 
castle  windows  where  lights  glimmered  behind 
the  drawn  curtains ;  but  opposite,  in  our  rooms, 
all  was  dark.  Lotta,  I  fancied,  was  sitting  yet  at 
the  window  waiting  for  me. 

Then  the  thought  came  to  me  suddenly,  what 
was  it  Anita  had  wanted  to-day  at  dinner  time  ? 
Whether  the  prince  had  desired  to  come  over  to 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  173 

sec  her  again  !  It  would  have  been  painful  if  he 
had  come  and  found  her  alone  ;  but  that  was 
hardly  possible.  He  was  a  gentleman  and  would 
not  intrude  upon  our  grief  the  very  day  of  the 
burial.  He  had  evidently  sent  a  formal  message 
of  sympathy  when  he  sent  the  magnificent  bou- 
quet, that  was  all. 

Poor  Lotta,  waiting  for  me,  and  so  lonely  ! 

I  hastened  my  steps  and  opened  the  door, 
breathless. 

"  Pardon  me,  Lotta  !  "  I  said,  as  I  entered  the 
dark  room  ;  "  I  have  been  out  too  long." 

No  answer. 

I  opened  our  bedroom  door. 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  cried.     No  sound. 

"  Lotta  !  "  and  I  called  out  into  the  garden — 
in  vain.  A  fearful  anxiety  came  over  me.  I 
stepped  back  into  the  living-room,  and  with 
trembling  fingers  struck  a  light. 

In  the  centre  of  the  table  lay  a  letter  ad- 
dressed : 

"  To  my  sister." 

And  a  moment  later  my  startled  eyes  read 
these  few  words  : 

"  I  am  to  become  Prince  Otto's  wife  this  evening,  as  he 
leaves  for  the  capital  in  the  morning.  The  marriage  will 
take  place  at  eight  o'clock,  in  his  own  apartments.  I  had 
not  the  courage  to  tell  you  to-day  at  noon,  for  I  could  not 


174  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


have  conversed  quietly  about  the  matter,  and  the  hours  of 
happiness  for  us  two  alone  were  drawing  rapidly  to  a 
close. 

"  Forgive  your 

"  LOTTA." 

That  was  the  note.  How  blind — how  stupidly 
blind  I  had  been  until  now  !  Lotta  seemed  to 
be  standing  before  me  again,  and  in  a  clearer 
light  than  ever  before ;  her  thoughtlessness,  her 
frivolity,  her  selfishness,  seemed  to  me  extreme 
at  this  moment.  Prince  Otto,  then,  was  the  man 
who  had  supplanted  her  old  betrothed  in  her 
heart,  while  she  yet  carried  Fritz  Roden's  ring 
upon  her  finger ;  and  she  had  veered  like  a 
weathercock,  and  gone  over  to  the  prince  and 
his  palace  across  the  way.  And  to-day  of  all 
days — to-day ! 

I  was  still  standing  with  the  letter  in  mr 
trembling  hand,  when  the  door  opened  slowly 
and  Fritz  Roden  entered.  He  came  directly  to 
me,  and  gave  me  his  hand.  The  flickering  candle 
threw  a  faint  ray  across  his  face,  and  it  seemed 
to  me  to  be  so  changed  in  expression  that  I 
could  hardly  believe  it  was  he  ;  or  was  it  the 
uniform  which  he  wore  which  effected  so  great 
an  alteration  ? 

"I  have  come  to  say  farewell,  Fraulein  He- 
lena," he  said,  "  to  you  and  Charlotte.  It  is 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          175 

better  to  part  in  peace,  when  one  goes  the  way 
which  I  shall  tread.  I  start  to-night  in  order  to 
catch  the  express  at  T.  To-morrow  at  ten  I 
shall  be  witTi  my  regiment." 

He  had  been  looking  quietly  around  the  room 
as  he  spoke,  and  now  gave  me  a  questioning 
glance.  But  as  I  remained  dumb  and  held  on  to 
the  back  of  the  nearest  chair  for  support,  he  said  : 

''  I  thank  you,  Fraulein  von  Werthern.  I  have 
not  much  time  now  to  talk,  and  I  had  much  to 
say  to  you — much  to  thank  you  for." 

He  hesitated.  "  Your  sister  and  yourself  stand 
so  entirely  alone,"  he  began,  after  a  time. 

I  could  control  myself  no  longer,  and  the  bit- 
terness of  my  heart  was  told  in  the  cry  : 

"  Alone  ?  " 

"Yes,  quite  alone."  And  then  the  tears  came 
thick  and  fast,  the  first  I  had  shed  since  my 
grandmother's  death.  In  a  few  minutes  he  knew 
it  all — the  whole  story.  And  then  there  was  a 
moment  of  terrible  silence,  broken  only  by  his 
hard  breathing. 

"  You  cannot  remain  here,"  he  said  at  last, 
quite  angrily;  "  I  shall  take  you  to  my  mother." 

I  shook  my  head,  but  he  repeated  "  You  must 
come,"  so  decidedly  and  quietly  now,  that  I  fol- 
lowed him  as  if  I  possessed  no  will  of  my  own. 
So  we  went  across  the  garden  together  in  the 


176  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

still,  summer  night ;  the  air  was  heavy  with  per- 
fume ;  in  the  distance  we  heard  the  maids  and 
men  singing  softly,  and  overhead  the  stars  seemed 
to  keep  a  peaceful  and  holy  watch  ;  only  in  the 
heart  of  man  were  strife  and  distress.  One 
moment  he  remained  standing  listening  to  the 
significant  words  of  the  soldier-song  borne  to  us 
on  the  breeze. 

Was  he  thinking  of  that  evening  when  he  had 
come  to  meet  Lotta,  and  they  had  stood  side  by 
side  and  listened  to  the  nightingale's  songs  ?  I 
could  not  tell.  He  passed  his  hands  over  his 
eyes,  and  then  went  on  as  before,  and  when  we 
arrived  at  the  door  of  the  great  living-room, 
opened  it  for  me  as  quietly  and  as  courteously 
as  ever,  and  bade  me  enter.  His  mother  looked 
up  surprised  from  the  small  trunk  which  she  was 
packing. 

"  Mother,  I  have  brought  you  Helena,"  he 
said,  and  left  us  alone. 

I  went  to  her  and  flung  my  arms  around  her 
neck,  and  cried  as  though  my  heart  would  break. 
And  when  I  was  able  to  tell  her  all,  she  held  me 
from  her  at  arm's  length,  as  if  she  feared  I  had 
lost  my  senses. 

"  Lotta — married  ! "  She  faltered.  "  Does  he 
know — all  ?  Poor  boy  !  This  to  bear  also  !  " 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  177 

Then  she  shook  her  head  and  began  question- 
ingly : 

"  So  sudden  ?  Married,  you  say  ?  To-day  ? 
Anita  was  the  go-between,  of  course  !  Did  he 
get  the  duchess's  consent  to-day?  Certainly  he 
is  the  idol  of  his  mother,  and  possibly  she  may 
be  rejoiced  to  know  he  is  under  some  restraint. 
And  the  haste  !  And  I  hear  five  couples  have 
been  married  since  the  news  of  war  came.  Ah, 
Helena,  I  cannot  comprehend  it  !  But  I  must 
go  to  my  Fritz." 

Before  she  had  reached  the  door  he  entered  the 
room.  We  both  looked  anxiously  at  him,  but  he 
sat  down  at  the  table  very  quietly  and  calmly. 

"  Send  the  trunk  away,"  he  begged  his  mother, 
"and  let  us  be  comfortable  for  our  last  few  hours 
together.  Fraiilein  Helena,  you  will  remain 
with  my  mother,  if  it  is  not  too  great  a  sacrifice  ; 
the  old  lady  is  quite  alone." 

I  reached  out  my  hand  to  him  in  assent,  for 
I  could  not  speak  ;  surely  no  lonely,  forsaken 
woman  could  have  had  a  better  place  of  refuge. 

"  I  thank  you,"  he  said  ;  "  I  can  go  now  with 
a  quiet  heart." 

So  we  sat  in  the  comfortable  sitting-room  ; 
the  Rhine  wine  sparkled  in  the  old  Venetian 
decanter  upon  the  table,  and  everything  was  as 
homelike  and  hospitable  looking  as  ever. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  It  may  be  that  we  shall  be  as  happy  as  ever, 
when  we  meet  again,"  he  said,  as  he  turned  to 
his  mother.  And  then  he  talked  to  her  of  this 
and  that  matter  concerning  the  estate,  and  left 
directions  that  we  knew  were  only  given  when 
the  thought  forced  itself  upon  him  that  he  might 
never  return  to  carry  them  out  himself.  All  at 
once  we  heard  the  sound  of  music,  and  the  flash 
of  torches  gleamed  in  through  the  windows  as 
the  Reserves  of  the  little  town  went  to  serenade 
Prince  Otto. 

How  clearly  it  sounded  to  us  :  "A  mighty 
fortress  is  our  God  !  "  Then  there  were  loud 
cries  for  the  prince  and  shouts  for  the  ducal  fam- 
ily, and  lastly  a  song  that  was  echoing  that  night 
in  a  million  German  hearts.  It  was  the  "  Watch 
on  the  Rhine." 

"  Dear  Fatherland,  may  peace  be  thine  !  " 

Frau  Roden's  heavy  eyes  lighted  up. 

"  Let  us  not  think  of  our  private  woes,"  she 
said  to  me.  "  Cease  your  weeping,  Helena  ! 
there  is  something  sublime  about  a  whole  nation 
in  arms  !  "  And  she  looked  up  proudly  at  her 
"  boy,"  although  her  old  heart  was  almost  break- 
ing. He  was  the  last  ! 

I  did  not  want  to  disturb  the  mother  and  son 
hi  their  last  few  moments  together,  so  I  went 
back  to  our  old  rooms  to  fasten  the  windows  and 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Rtv:t  179 

draw  the  curtains.  I  crept  through  the  dark- 
ness to  the  window  and  buried  my  face  in  my 
handkerchief.  "  Lotta,  ah,  Lotta  !  " 

Everything  was  silent  now,  and  the  castle  op- 
posite was  apparently  without  light  or  life.  Soon 
I  heard  a  wagon  coining  quickly  ;  it  stopped  for 
a  moment  near  my  window,  and  a  voice  called  : 

"  Farewell,  Helena  !  " 

But  I  could  not  answer ;  I  sank  on  my  knees 
and  laid  my  aching  brow  on  the  marble  window- 
seat  ;  at  last  my  grief  overpowered  me.  Wild 
and  violent  were  my  sobs  as  I  thought  of  his 
misery  and  of  my  own,  and  how  hopeless  and 
aimless  my  life  would  be  for  the  future. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

"  MY  lady,  the  countess,  begs  the  gracious 
Fraulein  to  come  over  to  her,  this  evening  at 
dusk,"  was  the  message  Anita  brought  to  me  a 
day  later,  as  I  sat  sorting  out  my  grandmother's 
papers  and  getting  them  in  order.  My  head  was 
heavy  and  my  heart  still  heavier. 

To-day,  at  Frau  Roden's  suggestion,  I  was 
striving  to  get  everything  settled  preparatory  to 
going  over  to  the  great  house  ;  but  there  was 
much  about  which  I  could  not  decide  until  I 
had  consulted  with  Lotta.  "  The  countess  ?"  I 
asked,  puzzled. 

"  Countess  Charlotte  Kaltensee,  the  wife  of 
his  Highness  the  Prince,"  explained  Anita,  in  a 
monotone. 

"  Ah — my  sister  !  Say  to  her  that  I  will  be 
with  her.  Has  his  highness  gone  ? " 

"  An  hour  ago,"  she  answered  ;  "  the  countess 
is  heart-broken."  And  Anita  departed. 

I  went  on  with  what  I  was  doing ;  I  could 
not  bring  myself  to  cast  one  glance  toward  the 
windows  of  Lotta's  new  home.  When  it  was 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          181 

dark  I  went  across  to  her,  but  I  must  admit 
without  any  friendly  feeling  in  my  heart. 

Anita  opened  the  door  for  me,  and  led  me 
through  the  dimly-lighted  hall  and  along  the 
corridor  to  the  same  room  in  which  I  had  been 
before,  and  where  I  had  first  seen  Prince  Otto. 
We  went  through  into  one  of  the  smaller  rooms. 
"  Please  turn  to  the  left  and  go  into  the  yellow 
salon,"  whispered  Anita,  and  disappeared. 

My  heart  beat  violently  as  I  stood  before  the 
portieres,  and  for  a  moment  I  felt  faint  and 
dizzy ;  perhaps  'twas  the  heavy  perfume  of 
roses  and  orange  blossoms  that  pervaded  the 
princely  apartments.  With  trembling  hand  I 
drew  aside  the  heavy  silk  curtains  and  stepped 
into  the  room. 

It  was  a  large  salon,  with  many  lamps  shed- 
ding their  rays  over  rich  furniture,  and  giving 
through  their  reflection  in  the  mirrors  a  golden 
sheen  to  everything. 

Fine  paintings  richly  framed  adorned  the  walls, 
and  a  soft  velvet  carpet  in  subdued  colors  cov- 
ered the  floor.  And  yonder,  on  a  couch  under  a 
great  picture,  lay  Lotta,  her  face  buried  in  a  pil- 
low and  a  rich  scarf  thrown  over  her. 

She  had  not  heard  me  enter. 

Her  long  black  hair  hung  in  disorder  over  her 
white  lace  negligee ;  she  had  worn  the  same  gown 


1 82  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

one  night  in  private  theatricals,  when  she  had  en- 
acted the  part  of  a  young  wife  of  rank  ;  it  had 
a  hateful  significance  which  made  me  feel  more 
bitter  than  ever.  It  seemed  to  me  to  be  all 
comedy. 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  called. 

Then  she  sat  up,  and  I  gazed  into  her  lovely, 
tear-stained  face. 

"  Helena,"  she  said  like  a  child,  "  do  remain 
with  me  !  " 

She  came  over  to  me  and  threw  her  arms 
around  my  neck  and  laid  her  burning  cheek 
upon  my  shoulder. 

"  I  am  so  happy,  so  happy,  Helena !  "  she 
whispered  ;  "  forgive  me,  and  tell  me  that  God 
will  not  be  so  cruel  as  not  to  let  him  return  to 
me  !  You  speak  no  word,  Helena  !  Have  you 
no  word  of  kindness,  no  wish  for  my  happi- 
ness to  give  me  ? "  she  asked,  looking  at  me. 
"  If  you  knew  how  I  love  him,  you  would  not 
stand  with  so  unforgiving  a  look,  Helena.  Are 
you  angry  with  me  ? "  she  continued,  and  took 
her  hands  from  my  shoulder,  "  because  I  did  not 
confide  in  you  ?  But  it  was  all  so  sudden — you 
know.  On  the  day  that  I  broke  my  engagement 
he  had  news  that  the  war  was  inevitable,  and 
then — with  the  storm  about  to  burst  I  gave  him 
my  '  yes.'  Then  he  went  to  get  his  mother's  con- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  183 

sent.  The  unseemly  haste  which  made  me  seem 
to  you  so  unsympathetic  was  forced  upon  me  by 
the  war  ;  I  was  opposed  to  it,  but  what  could  I 
do  ?  When  one  loves  as  I  do,  and  knows  not 
when  the  loved  one  will  return  again,  if  ever,  all 
lesser  obstacles  disappear.  To  be  sure,"  she 
continued  impatiently  after  a  pause,  "  every  one 
would  not  have  acted  so,  but  only  because  they 
knew  nothing  of  that  great  passion — love  !  " 

"Ah,"  I  said,  and  I  spoke  with  difficulty,  "but 
there  is  something  more  to  be  thought  of,  when 
a  woman  gives  her  heart  to  one  man  with  the 
betrothal  ring  of  another  on  her  finger." 

"  Ah,  Helena,"  she  answered  compassionately, 
"  what  do  you  know  about  it  ?  Any  way  we  won't 
discuss  it  any  farther.  You  can,  perhaps,  see 
that  I  never  loved  Fritz,  and  that  I  love,"  she 
added  tenderly,  "  my  husband  unspeakably." 

"  Then  how  did  you  dare  accept  Fritz  Roden's 
proposal  ?  " 

"  But,"  she  cried  sharply,  "  I  did  not  know 
Otto  then.  I  gave  Herr  Roden  my  promise  in 
order  to  save  us  both  from  starvation." 

"  Oh,  this  is  frightful,  Lotta  !  " 

"  My  God  !  it  is  what  we  learn  from  contact 
with  the  world,  Helena.  I  might  have  become 
contented  in  time,  and  have  submitted  tamely  to 
the  solid  burger,  about  as  I  did  to  the  eternal 


1 84  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

potato  salad  which  you  insisted  upon  giving  us  a 
couple  of  times  a  week.  But  then  I  saw  him,  and 
I  loved  him  from  the  first  day,  yes,  from  the 
first  hour.  You  remember  that  morning  ?  And 
there " 

"  You  should  have  gone  to  Fritz  Roden  imme- 
diately and  told  him  all." 

"  Yes,  but  I  did  not  know  then  whether  the 
prince " 

"  Oh,  I  understand,"  I  interrupted  bitterly  ; 
"  so  you  decided  to  wait.  But  when  this  change- 
able, gay  butterfly  was  caught,  you  trampled  the 
honest  burger's  trustful  heart  under  foot, — you 
had  done  with  him  !  " 

"  I  beg  you,  Helena,  to  be  sensible  and  listen 
to  me,"  she  cried  impatiently.  "We  are  entirely 
alone  in  the  world,  without  means,  and  it  was  my 
duty  to  grasp  the  helping  hand  that  was  extended 
to  us."  And  as  I  remained  silent  she  continued  : 
"And  that  is  what  I  wished  to  speak  with  you 
about  to-night  ;  Otto  wishes  you  to  remain  with 
me.  I  shall  occupy  these  apartments  until  he 
takes  me  away  ;  Castle  Kaltensee  is  not  yet  in 
readiness  for  my  reception  ;  it  is  in  Bavaria,  where 
the  duke  has  great  possessions.  It  is  to  be  my 
future  residence  ;  and,  as  you  know,  I  take  that 
name.  It  has  all  been  so  sudden.  I  feel  as  if  I 
were  in  a  dream.  I  have  a  most  liberal  allowance 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          185 

of  pin-money,  which  is  for  us  both  ;  what  a  piece 
of  good  luck,  Helena  !  " 

She  had  thrown  herself,  while  speaking,  in  a 
low  arm-chair  opposite  me. 

"  Ah,  Helena,  this  terrible  war  !  "  she  sighed. 
"  And  only  to  think  I  had  no  bridal  dress,  and 
had  to  be  married  in  that  old  white  cashmere, 
and  the  pastor  made  the  service  as  short  as 
possible,  and  did  not  seem  to  take  any  interest 
whatever  in  it  ;  all  the  fault  of  this  horrible  war. 
There  were  only  two  witnesses  present :  a  young 
nobleman  from  C.,  and  one  of  the  gentlemen-in- 
waiting  to  the  duchess.  Anita  wove  me  a  wreath 
of  myrtle  blossoms,  but  if  it  had  not  been  for 
the  diamonds  which  he  gave  me  no  one  would 
have  imagined  I  was  a  prince's  bride.  But  why 
don't  you  speak,  Helena  ?  Take  a  glass  of  wine 
and  some  fruit.  The  table  is  still  laid  in  the 
dining-room  for  our  only  and  last  dinner,  and  the 
viands  have  hardly  been  touched.  Ah,  Helena,  I 
could  neither  eat  nor  drink  !  If  I  was  only  sit- 
ting opposite  him  now,  watching  him  peel  an 
apricot !  " 

And  she  sprang  up  and  put  her  hands  before 
her  eyes  as  she  hastily  paced  the  room,  half 
laughing,  half  crying. 

"  At  best,  I  cannot  go  to  him  until  after  the 
war,"  she  sighed.  "Good  heavens!  to  think 


1 86  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

that  I  shall  have  to  sit  here  in  fear  and  long- 
ing !" 

She  was  very  charming  in  her  young  love 
dream  and  her  anxiety  for  her  husband. 

But  she  exercised  no  witchery  over  me.  I 
thought  of  Fritz  Roden's  pale  face,  of  his  anxious 
eyes,  and  of  his  life,  blighted  by  my  sister,  who 
had  so  cruelly  deceived  him. 

"  You  will  remain  here  with  me  ?  "  she  ques- 
tioned. "  And  I  wish  you,  as  a  favor  to  me,  to 
write  to  our  guardian  in  my  name  ;  you  must  ex- 
plain why  there  was  so  much  haste.  Especially 
on  account  of  grandmother.  The  good  man 
will  be  filled  with  consternation.  Ah,  Helena, 
our  grandmother  !  Believe  me,  I  grieve  deeply 
about  her." 

I  must  have  made  an  impatient  movement 
with  my  hand,  for  she  stopped  abruptly. 

"  I  will  write  your  letter  for  you  willingly, 
Lotta,"  I  said,  "  but  I  cannot  remain  here.  I 
have  given  Fritz  Roden  a  promise  to  remain  with 
his  mother  while  he  is  away." 

Lotta  was  speechless  at  first,  but  after  a  mo- 
ment answered  impatiently  : 

"  Oh,  that  does  not  matter  !  " 

"  Oh,  yes,  it  does,  Charlotte  !  " 

'*  But  I  cannot  remain  here  alone  ;  Otto  would 
not  hear  of  it." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  187 

. \ . 

"  Your  husband  will  have  to  look  out  for  a 
suitable  companion  for  you,  and  until  you  get 
one  there  is  Anita,"  I  answered. 

"  Oh,  I  cannot  endure  her,"  she  continued, 
"  she  is  so  insolent  and  familiar.  What  do  the 
Rodens  say  ?" 

u  Nothing  at  all.  But  my  sense  of  justice 
compels  me  to  try  and  make  up  to  them  in  some 
way  for  the  sorrow  that  has  come  upon  them 
through  you.  Besides  that — I  love  the  old  lady 
as " 

"  As  a  mother,"  interrupted  Lotta  ironically. 

"  Yes  !  "  I  answered  with  a  full  heart. 

"  Otto  will  not  think  it  kind  of  you,"  she 
began  after  a  pause.  "  He  said  last  evening :  '  I 
shall,  of  course,  set  aside  a  yearly  income  for 
your  sister,  as 

I  interrupted  :  "  He  is  very  good,  I  am  sure, 
but  I  must  decline." 

"  What  have  you  against  him  ? "  she  said 
sulkily. 

"  That  he  was  a  coward,  and  acted  in  a  heart- 
less and  dishonorable  manner  when  he  strove  to 
win  secretly  the  beloved  bride  of  an  honest  man, 
that's  what  I  have  against  him,"  I  would  have 
cried  out  sharply.  But  I  was  silent.  What  was 
the  use  of  repeating  what  she  must  know  her- 
self ? — and  she  certainly  had  been  easily  won. 


1 88  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


A  long  pause  ensued.  Anita  came  in  noise- 
lessly and  placed  fruit,  wine,  and  cake  upon  the 
table,  and  a  silver  dish  filled  with  cracked  ice, 
and  then  turned  to  my  sister  and  asked  if  the 
countess  had  any  further  orders.  Lotta  shook 
her  head  impatiently,  and  Anita  departed  as 
quietly  as  she  had  entered. 

They  had  both  accepted  their  altered  positions 
very  quickly.  Lotta  had  evidently  entirely  for- 
gotten their  morning  chats  ;  she  was  the  mistress 
— Anita  the  maid. 

I  sat  perfectly  silent,  and  Lotta  turned  her 
back  partially  to  me,  so  that  I  only  saw  her  pro- 
file. I  had  a  sudden  feeling  of  sorrow  as  I 
looked  at  the  beautiful  creature.  God  alone 
knew  what  was  in  store  for  her,  what  her  life 
would  be  by  the  side  of  a  man  who  had  married 
her  so  rashly.  Should  I  darken  any  happy  hour 
she  might  have  with  dismal  prophecies  ?  I  rose 
hastily. 

"  Pray  to  God,  Charlotte,  and  forgive  me  for 
being  so  gloomy  ;  to-morrow  or  the  day  after, 
when  I  have  become  calmer,  we  will  have  a  long 
talk.  To-day  is  too  soon  to  talk  of  plans,  and 
may  you  be  very  happy  in  your  new  joy." 

She  turned  toward  me  with  glowing  eyes,  and 
a  bright  flush  spread  over  her  whole  face. 

"  I  am  that  already,  Helena,  and  will  remain 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          189 


so,  if  God  in  his  goodness  will  only  send  Otto 
home  to  me  well  and  strong." 

She  took  my  arm  and  walked  with  me  to  the 
door. 

"  Come  to-morrow  again,"  she  begged;  "  I  must 
show  you  the  bridal  gifts  Otto  gave  me,  and  the 
diadem  the  duchess  sent  through  her  gentleman- 
in-waiting.  Yes,  and  then  we  will  talk  of  our 
residence  together  here." 

"  No,  Lotta,  that  can  never  be  ;  we  need  not 
speak  of  it  again." 

And  without  waiting  for  an  answer  I  pressed 
her  hand,  and  went  as  I  had  come,  with  a  heavy 
heart.  And  she  remained  alone  in  her  golden 
cage  with  her  sweet  memories  and  her  great  good 
fortune,  and  no  one  whispered  in  her  ear  :  "  You 
have  made  a  man,  a  true,  good  man,  miserable 
for  life." 


CHAPTER  IX. 

"  WE  will  workj  Helena  ;  that  is  the  only  anti- 
dote for  sorrow,"  said  Frau  Roden,  a  day  or  two 
later.  And  we  did  work.  We  did  many  things 
that  were  not  necessary,  but  we  did  not  allow  our- 
selves many  idle  moments.  The  old  lady  had 
always  some  fresh  employment  on  hand  ;  and  she 
was  in  the  right  ;  work  was  our  greatest  comfort. 

It  was  quiet,  very  quiet  now,  in  the  little  se- 
questered town,  and  in  the  great  house,  too  ;  then 
after  a  time  came  the  first  news  of  victory  flying 
over  the  German  land.  From  tower  to  tower 
sounded  the  joy  bells.  Victory  !  Victory  !  A 
word  that  intoxicates  like  wine.  Even  in  our 
loneliness  it  brought  new  life  ;  the  people  gath- 
ered ih  the  streets  to  hear  the  despatches  read, 
and  the  children  played  truant  from  school  in 
order  to  learn  the  latest  news  ;  old  enemies  shook 
one  another  by  the  hand  ;  people  who  had  never 
spoken  to  each  other  stopped  and  chatted  in 
friendly  fashion,  and  from  the  town  hall  came  the 
sounds  of  music  and  laughter. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Ract,  191 

"  Praise  be  to  God  !  "  And  in  the  church  the 
organ  peal  sounded  forth  and  lusty  voices  chanted 
the  song  of  jubilee.  After  that  came  the  papers 
with  full  particulars  and  a  heart-sickening  list  of 
the  dead  and  wounded.  What  a  world  of  sorrow 
and  woe  lay  behind  this  first  victory  !  And  as 
one  took  up  the  paper,  one  shuddered  at  the 
thought  that  a  dear  name  might  stand  forth 
which  would  bring  to  the  heart  despair  and  life- 
long anguish. 

But  almost  in  the  same  breath  with  the  news  of 
victory  came  the  astounding  intelligence  to  the 
villagers  that  Prince  Otto  had  married  the  beau- 
tiful Charlotte  von  Werthern,  and  that  created 
no  small  sensation.  The  good  people  still  looked 
upon  Lotta  as  the  fiancee  of  Fritz  Roden,  for  no 
whisper  of  the  broken  engagement  had  crossed 
the  threshold  of  our  homes.  And  now  to  hear 
of  this  sudden  and  romantic  marriage  was  indeed 
a  nine  days'  wonder.  Like  the  circles  that  widen 
round  a  stone  just  thrown  in  the  water,  so  went 
the  news  from  lip  to  lip,  from  ear  to  ear,  in 
whispers  lo-v  and  doubtful — for,  who  knows,  per- 
haps it  was  not  true.  But  when  one  day  the 
princely  landau  rolled  through  the  streets,  and 
the  beautiful  young  wife,  in  her  elegant  attire 
and  with  the  same  proud,  cold  face,  was  seen 
leaning  back  in  it,  the  people  threw  open  their 


192  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

windows  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  her,  and  finally 
went  back  to  their  duties  convinced  that  it  was 
all  over  with  Fritz  Roden,  and  that  the  gay  young 
prince  had  indeed  taken  a  wife  home  to  the 
castle. 

Frau  Roden 's  sitting-room  was  by  no  means 
empty  at  this  time  ;  but  all  curious  questions  re- 
mained behind  the  astonished  lips,  when  they 
perceived  that  the  old  lady's  relations  with  me 
were  of  such  a  friendly  nature,  and  that  1  was 
established  as  an  inmate  of  the  house. 

They  went  away  wiser  than  they  came,  how- 
ever, for  she  told  them  all  about  Fritz  ;  that  he 
was  marching  toward  France  in  the  best  of 
spirits  and  wrote  her  daily. 

Our  rooms  were  locked  and  the  furniture  had 
not  been  touched  ;  I  only  brought  a  few  things 
to  the  room  Frau  Roden  had  given  me — the  very 
one  which  Lotta  and  I  had  occupied  on  our  first 
night.  I  brought  my  piano  to  it  and  my  sewing- 
table,  and  the  little  basket  for  Schnips  stood  by 
the  stove. 

Our  small,  four-footed  friend  had  much  finer 
quarters  over  with  Lotta,  but  sometimes  he  came 
in  to  see  me,  as  much  as  to  say  he  could  not 
quite  neglect  his  old  nurse  ;  and  then  I  petted 
him  and  set  a  pan  of  milk  before  him,  of  which 
he  never  refused  to  partake, 


193 


Lotta  lived  alone  at  the  castle,  and  answered 
the  letters  and  despatches  that  came  to  her  daily 
from  her  husband. 

He  was  with  the  second  Bavarian  corps  ;  his 
brother,  the  heir  presumptive,  was  with  the  Sax- 
ons, and  Fritz  Roden  marched  with  his  old  regi- 
ment, the  Prussian  Fusilier  Guards. 

Slowly,  slowly  passed  the  time  ;  so  fearful,  so 
hard  for  us  who  remained  at  home.  We  did  all 
our  hands  could  find  to  do,  in  order  to  alleviate 
the  suffering  on  the  battle-field — but  how  little 
that  was  after  all.  We  could  only  .wait  with 
anxious  hearts  and  bated  breath  through  weary 
summer  days.  A  hundred  times  the  old  lady 
would  say  : 

"  God  guard  my  son  to-day  !  " 

How  quickly  she  would  hasten  across  the  room 
and  out  to  the  vestibule  to  meet  the  old  postman, 
when  she  caught  a  glimpse  of  him  coming  across 
the  court. 

"  Wait,  wait  I "  she  would  cry  to  the  old  man, 
as  she  hastily  tore  open  the  letter,  and  read  what 
the  mother's  eye  was  longing  to  sec — that  her 
son  was  strong  and  well  ;  then  she  never  failed 
to  reach  for  her  leather  pocket  and  hand  the 
smiling  man  a  hard  thaler.  And  as  he  departed 
she  .would  call  all  the  household,  great  and  small, 
together,  and  read  to  them  what  their  master 
13 


194  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


had  written.  In  no  letter  did  he  forget  to  send 
greeting  to  Fraulein  von  Werthern. 

One  sultry  August  evening,  I  think  it  was  the 
1 8th,  we  sat  listlessly  together  on  a  seat  under 
the  leafy  chestnuts  in  the  court.  Frau  Roden 
had  been  reading,  but  now  was  watching  the 
children  of  one  of  the  servants,  who  were  playing 
near.  Poor  Johann,  their  father,  was  lame,  and, 
greatly  to  his  sorrow,  had  to  stay  at  home.  The 
housekeeper  and  some  of  the  maids  were  seated 
not  far  distant,  also  watching  the  children. 

They  played  at  war,  of  course,  and  we  were 
amused,  especially  Frau  Roden,  at  the  martial 
air  they  assumed  as  they  chanted  : 

"  One,  two,  three, 
The  French  must  go  ! 
They  will  advance, 
They  must  retreat. 
One,  two,  three,  , 

The  French  must  go  ! " 

"  That's  an  old  song,"  she  said  ;  "  I  used  to 
near  my  mother  hum  it." 

Just  then  a  lackey  came  in  through  the  open 
gateway,  and  told  me  that  the  countess  wished  to 
see  me  at  once. 

I  took  off  my  little  apron  and  followed  him. 

"You  must  help  me,"  said  Lotta,  as  she  met 
me,  evidently  much  pleased  over  something. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,          19$ 


"  Only  think,  the  duchess  has  decided  to  see  me 
— at  last.  Ah,  Helena,  it  has  been  a  great  hu- 
miliation to  me  that  they  have  taken  no  notice 
of  me — have  not  cared  to  see  me.  And  now — 
the  duchess  is  going — incognita — to  Grunen,  and 
I  am  to  go  there  to  meet  her — accidentally  ; 
and  you  must  accompany  me.  See  for  your- 
self what  she  writes — it  is  such  a  kind,  tender 
letter. 

"  She  will  see  you,  too — the  sister-in-law  to  her 
dear  son.  Oh,  she  must  be  charming  !  Helena, 
do  tell  me  what  I  shall  wear." 

And  she  pulled  me  into  her  sleeping-chamber, 
and  called  Anita  to  bring  her  half  a  dozen  cos- 
tumes, that  we  might  select  one.  She  trembled 
and  laughed,  and  was  like  a  happy  child. 

"I  am  rejoiced,  Lotta,"  I  said,  "  that  every- 
thing goes  so  well  with  you.  Have  you  good 
news  from  your  husband,  too  ?  " 

"  Oh,  excellent  !  He  is  quartered  in  the 
beautiful  castle  of  St.  Nicholas,  and  is  amusing 
himself.  He  has  just  sent  me  from  Nancy  a 
great  roll  of  white  silks  and  satins.  He  says  I 
must  always  wear  white." 

And  as  she  spoke  she  took  from  Anita  a  lovely 
robe  of  white  mull. 

"  There,  Helena  !  Will  that  do  ? — that  is, 
if  the  weather  is  clear  and  bright  to-morrow. 


196  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


Anita,  bring  me  the  hat  with  the  white  ostrich 
plumes.  You  will  come  with  me,  surely,  He- 
lena ?" 

I  could  not  do  anything  to  disturb  her  great 
joy  ;  and  it  was  a  burden  lifted  from  my  heart, 
too,  that  they  had  finally  taken  notice  of  her. 

"  When  is  the  meeting  to  take  place  ?  " 

"  To-morrow  afternoon  at  two  o'clock ;  we 
start  from  here  at  twelve.  Be  'punctual, 
Helena." 

I  promised,  and  praised  her  toilet.  Then  we 
went  again  into  the  yellow  room  ;  Lotta  sat  down 
hastily  at  her  writing-table. 

"  You  want  to  write  and  tell  the  prince,"  I 
said,  "  and  I  would  only  disturb  you,  so  farewell, 
until  to-morrow." 

I  told  Frau  Roden  that  the  duchess  would  see 
Lotta  on  the  morrow,  and  how  graciously  she 
had  written. 

"  That  is  well,"  she  answered,  as  she  emptied 
a  basket  of  beans  into  a  large  dish.  "  She  is  a 
fool  about  her  young  son,  and  will  do  as  he 
wishes,  but  the  duke  will  never  forgive  this  mar- 
riage, if  I  understand  him  aright.  He  is  an  im- 
perious man,  and  Prince  Otto's  conduct,  you  will 
find,  has  not  been  to  his  taste  at  all." 

"  Why  should  he  not  relent  ?  "  I  cried. 

"Oh,  child,  none  of  us  like  such  surprises." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          197 

I  spent  the  evening  in  looking  over  my  simple 
wardrobe  ;  I  wanted  Lotta  to  be  satisfied  with 
my  appearance.  Frau  Roden  came  in  my  room 
and  sat  down  on  the  sofa  to  study  the  evening 
paper. 

"  Who  knows  what  may  have  happened  to- 
day ? "  she  said. 

Ah,  if  we  could  have  looked  that  evening  on 
the  bloodiest  battle-field  of  the  whole  war  ! 

The  next  morning  was  bright  and  clear,  but 
the  sun  was  oppressively  hot. 

Frau  Roden  left  the  breakfast-table  and  sta- 
tioned herself  at  the  window  to  watch  for  the 
postman  ;  but  he  only  made  a  motion  with  his 
hand,  and  passed  on  down  the  shady  lane. 

"  That  is  bad,  Helena." 

"  Perhaps  you'll  get  one  at  midday,"  I  said 
consolingly. 

"  Perhaps,"  she  sighed. 

It  was  about  ten  o'clock  ;  I  sat  at  Frau  Ro- 
den's  writing-table,  and  was  going  through  her 
account-book  for  her.  Suddenly  the  great  bell 
of  St.  Mary's  sounded,  and  all  the  smaller  ones 
joined  in  a  second  later. 

"  News  of  another  victory  !  "  I  cried,  and 
rushed  to  the  window  ;  already  the  masons  en- 
gaged on  the  castle  garden  wall  were  hastening 
away.  But  the  people  were  so  silent,  so  differ- 


198  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

ent  from  usual,  that  we  looked  at  one  another 
puzzled  and  terrified. 

"  Helena,  I  must  see  what  it  is  !  "  cried  the 
old  lady,  and  a  moment  later  she  was  hastening 
on,  under  the  chestnuts,  as  rapidly  as  a  young 
girl. 

I  knew  not  why  it  was  that  I  was  so  alarmed  ; 
my  knees  were  trembling,  and  it  was  with  diffi- 
culty that  I  stood  at  the  door  awaiting  Frau 
Roden's  return. 

She  brought  sad  tidings. 

"  A  great  battle  has  been  won  at  Gravelotte, 
but  our  heir  apparent  has  fallen  !  " 

The  heir  apparent  !  It  was  more  than  sorrow 
which  seized  me  now — it  was  the  foreboding  of 
coming  disaster. 

And  all  the  while  Lotta  was  standing  before 
her  mirror,  in  her  lovely  white  gown,  laughing, 
singing,  as  happy  as  could  be,  and  knowing 
nothing  of  the  fate  that  should  strike  her  joy  in 
its  foundations.  She  had  heard  nothing  when  I 
entered  her  room  breathless.  She  was  putting 
on  the  new  hat,  and  its  long  white  plumes  fell 
gracefully  over  her  dark  hair. 

"  Good-morning,  Lotta,"  I  said,  with  as  much 
composure  as  I  could  command. 

But  before  she  could  answer  me  Anita  stood 
before  us  pale  and  trembling,  a  picture  of  horror. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  199 

Lotta  looked  at  us  and  cried  out  : 

"  Great  God  !  is  he  dead,  Helena  ?  Have 
mercy  on  me  !  " 

I  shall  never  forget  the  tones  of  her  voice  ; 
they  were  so  clear  and  sharply  accentuated. 

"  No,  Lotta  ;  not  your  husband — but  his  elder 
brother,  who  fell  at  St.  Privat." 

"  The  heir  is  dead — the  heir  ? "  she  stam- 
mered, "  the  heir  ?  O  God,  I  thank  thee  it  is  not 
my  husband  !  "  and  she  burst  into  tears. 

Anita  stood  speechless,  but  uttered  no  word  ; 
but  we  heard  a  low  rustling  outside,  and  some 
one  handed  her  a  paper,  saying  : 

"  A  despatch  for  my  lady  the  countess." 

I  perceived  it  was  the  old  groom  who  always 
attended  Lotta,  and  he  looked  sorrowfully  now 
at  the  young  wife  weeping  so  bitterly. 

She  took  the  paper  and  read  : 

"  Grunen  impossible. 

"  VON  OERZEN." 

That  was  the  short  but  terribly  significant 
message. 

"  Impossible  !  "  I  heard  Anita  repeat. 

I  heard  the  bells  tolling  slowly  and  the  voices 
and  tread  of  many  men.  When  I  went  to  the 
window,  I  found  a  crowd  of  people  with  uncov- 
ered heads  looking  up  at  the  castle  as  if  they 


200  Tn'o  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


would  hear  some  further  confirmation  of  the  sad 
and  sudden  tidings. 

And  that  moment  as  if  for  answer  the  flag 
which  had  flaunted  its  colors  so  gayly  in  the 
morning  breeze  sank  to  half  mast.  They  looked 
up  at  the  tower  and  then  at  her  windows,  and 
stood  in  silent  groups,  which  were  enlarging  at 
every  moment. 

And  here  within  sat  Lotta,  thanking  God  de- 
voutly that  he  had  protected  her  beloved. 

"  Will  there  be  a  memorial  service  ? "  she  asked, 
and  sent  Anita  out  to  make  inquiries.  She  re- 
turned shortly,  and  with  unsteady  voice  reported 
that  the  people  were  already  gathering  in  the 
church. 

"  Come,  Helena,"  said  Lotta. 

We  pushed  our  way  through  the  crowds,  and 
soon  found  ourselves  within  the  crowded  sanc- 
tuary. When  the  verger  perceived  us,  he  tried 
to  open  the  ducal  pew,  but  in  his  excitement  he 
could  not  find  the  key.  While  we  stood  waiting 
the  organ  began. 

"  Let  us  go  into  the  Roden  pew,"  I  whispered  ; 
"  we  cannot  remain  in  this  crowd." 

She  followed  me,  still  dressed  in  the  light 
summer  robe  which  she  had  put  on  for  her  inter- 
view with  the  duchess.  Her  countenance  was 
pale,  and  wore  a  strange  expression  of  mingled 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          201 

fear,  pain,  and  happiness.  As  we  slipped  into 
the  seat  I  saw  Frau  Roden  in  the  shadow  of  a 
pillar  ;  she  was  still  attired  in  her  plain  house 
dress  and  simple  cap,  and  a  little  shawl  thrown 
over  her  shoulders  ;  her  hands  were  folded  upon 
her  hymn-book.  I  had  not  thought  of  the  pos- 
sibility of  this  meeting.  Lotta  took  a  seat  in  the 
corner.  The  old  lady  never  looked  at  her,  but 
motioned  me  to  a  seat  by  her  side. 

"  Helena,"  she  whispered  in  breathless  terror, 
"  he  was  in  that  battle  yesterday  ;  his  regiment 
was  there,  and  the  Prussian  king  says  himself  in 
the  despatch  :  '  I  dare  not  ask  what  our  loss 
has  been  ! '  Oh,  if  God  has  done  that  to  me  !  " 
She  held  my  hand  in  her  trembling  palm,  but 
could  not  join  in  the  hymn  which  hundreds  of 
voices  took  up  as  the  organ  pealed  it  forth: 
"  God  doeth  all  things  well." 

A  gray  and  ghostly  mist  rose  before  my  eyes; 
all  light  and  color  disappeared  ;  the  organ's  tone 
and  the  singing  fused  into  that  one  cry,  "  Helena, 
he  was  in  that  battle."  Merciful  God,  thou  must 
have  protected  him. 

The  organ  ceased,  and  I  heard  the  voice  of 
the  preacher  saying  :  "  The  beauty  of  Israel  is 
slain  upon  the  high  places.  How  are  the  mighty 
fallen. 

"  Lord,  thou  hast  required  hard  things  of  us 


202  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 

The  hope  of  our  land  hast  thou  taken  from  us. 
and  our  noblest  ones  from  out  our  midst.  In 
the  castle  of  our  sovereign  gray-haired  parents 
are  weeping,  and  our  beloved  princess  mourns 
for  her  husband,  to  whom  but  a  year  ago  she 
gave  her  hand,  and  who  yesterday  met  a  hero's 
death  at  the  head  of  his  column.  And  yet,  our 
noble  duke  has  said,  and  shall  we  not  repeat  it 
with  him  :  '  Peace  be  to  him  and  to  all  those 
who  lie  upon  that  bloody  field,  for  they  have  not 
fallen  in  vain,  since  they  died  for  the  Father- 
land.' 

"  We  who  are  assembled  here  do  not  yet  know 
which  one  of  us  has  a  son,  a  brother,  or  a  hus- 
band lying  on  that  distant  field,  for  the  battle 
was  hot,  and  rich  and  full  was  the  harvest  of 
•death.  But  whomsoever  the  bolt  may  strike  let 
him  lift  up  his  eyes  to  our  princely  house  whose 
members  bow  their  knees  in  humility  and  resig- 
nation, and  let  him  say  with  them,  '  Lord,  thy 
will  be  done.'  " 

Lord,  thy  will  be  done  !  Ah,  how  few  there 
were  who  were  able  to  repeat  those  words  in 
humility  and  devotion.  The  dear  old  mother  at 
my  side  sat  as  if  she  had  been  turned  to  stone. 
She  said  to  me  later,  "  I  went  to  the  church,  yet 
I  could  not  pray."  It  was  even  so  with  me.  As 
we  came  out  of  the  church  we  found  the  sky 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  203 

over-clouded  and  heard  the  rumble  of  distant 
thunder.  I  led  Frau  Roden  by  the  arm. 

Lotta,  followed  by  Anita,  hurried  on  ahead. 
I  looked  after  her  as  she  forced  her  way  through 
the  crowd  which  reverentially  made  way  for  her 
on  every  side.  Some  took  off  their  hats  to  her ; 
she,  however,  made  no  response  to  their  greeting, 
but  kept  right  on,  looking  neither  to  the  right  nor 
to  the  left.  Suddenly  I  heard  a  voice  from  the 
crowd  :  "  If  the  princess  has  a  son  there  will  be 
no  change  ;  otherwise  we'll  have  Otto."  There 
was  a  murmur  at  my  side  :  "  God  have  mercy. 
Let  us  pray  that  it  may  be  a  boy  !  "  I  looked  at 
Frau  Roden  inquiringly. 

"The  poor  princess,"  she  said. 

"  And  if  it  should  be  a  girl  ?  "  I  asked,  and 
my  heart  stood  still. 

"  Then  Prince  Otto  will  be  heir  to  the  throne." 

"  Good  heavens  ! — and  Lotta  ? "  I  felt  an  im- 
pulse to  rush  after  her  with  a  warning  :  "  Prepare 
yourself  to  take  leave  of  your  happiness." 

But  all  was  not  lost  yet.  The  royal  child  was 
not  yet  born  ;  she  might  still  hope,  and  so  might 
we. 

We  found  no  ill  news  awaiting  us  when  we 
reached  home,  and  we  felt  we  had  yet  reason  to 
hope. 

The  heavy  thunder-storm  was  upon  us  now, 


204  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

and  it  was  almost  dark  in  the  sitting-room. 
Frau  Roden  sat  down  quietly  in  her  easy-chair, 
and  stared  without  speaking  at  the  swaying 
branches  of  the  old  chestnut.  At  last  she  said 
with  a  sigh  : 

"  If  I  only  had  some  sign  that  he  was  alive  !  " 

But  none  came. 

I  was  very  anxious  about  my  old  friend,  and 
sat  on  a  stool  at  her  feet,  trying  to  say  what  I 
could  to  comfort  her.  All  was  silent  in  the 
house,  and  in  the  streets  only  the  sound  of  the 
rain  still  falling  heavily. 

The  night  came  at  last  ;  we  sent  away  the 
evening  meal  untasted.  How  could  we  eat  when 
our  hearts  seemed  almost  breaking  ? 

We  retired  to  our  rooms  and  lived  through 
that  miserable  night  as  best  we  could.  I  repeated 
over  and  over  again  the  question  :  "  Is  he  alive  ? " 
and  I  always  gave  myself  the  same  answer  :  "  He 
is  dead,  he  is  dead  ;  he  has  sought  death  because 
he  could  not  live  without  Lotta  !  " 

The  thought  pursued  me  with  terrible  force, 
and  at  last  became  in  my  heart  a  certainty. 

The  next  morning  the  extra  with  full  account 
of  the  battle  appeared,  but  I  shrank  from  looking 
at  the  list  of  the  slain.  The  Guards  had  suffered 
the  most. 

"  Lord,  give  me  strength,"  said  the  pale  mother, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.         -20$ 

as  her  trembling  hands  refused  to  hold  the 
paper.t 

Toward  evening  a  telegraph  boy  came  to  the 
house  with  a  despatch.  It  was  a  fearful  moment 
when  the  old  lady  took  it. 

"  Bring  me  a  chair,  Helena — so — and  a  light." 

Then  she  wiped  the  beads  of  perspiration  from 
her  brow  and  opened  the  paper — slowly — slowly. 

"  Helena  !  "  she  said  to  me  after  a  moment. 

I  could  only  kneel  by  her  and  bury  my  head 
in  her  lap.  I  heard  the  rustle  of  the  paper  and 
her  heavy  sigh  as  she  read  : 

"Am  wounded  in  the  arm.  Do  not  be  anxious,  send 
particulars  soon.  Hans  von  Werthern  fell  at  my  side." 

I  raised  my  head  and  we  gazed  at  one  an- 
other. 

"  Hans  !  "  I  whispered.  That  was  indeed  sad 
news  for  me  to  hear.  My  brother,  my  only 
brother  !  and  as  I  thought  there  came  a  feeling  of 
sweet  peace  over  me  ;  I  could  cry  now  knowing 
he  died  with  honor.  My  first  thought  was  for  the 
placid  face  that  was  hidden  away  in  the  graveyard 
yonder.  "  Ah,  grandmother,  what  is  bred  in  the 
bone  will  come  out  in  the  flesh  !  He  came  back 
from  America  in  order  to  die  for  the  Father-- 
land !  He  has  more  than  retrieved  his  past  !  " 

Frau  Roden  rose  suddenly. 


206  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  My  boy  must  come  home  !  " 

Then  she  put  her  arm  around  me.  "  Helena, 
1  feel  for  you,  my  dear.  You  must  go  immedi- 
ately to  the  countess,  and  I  will  hunt  up  Miiller. 
He  must  start  at  once  to  bring  my  boy  home,  if 
he — "  she  struggled  to  keep  back  the  tears — "be 
alive  to  come  back." 

She  accompanied  me  to  the  door,  and  then 
went  off  to  hunt  for  the  overseer,  while  I  hastened 
to  Lotta.  She  was  seated  at  the  table,  with  ,a 
picture  of  the  prince  before  her. 

"  Lotta,"  I  said,  not  knowing  how  I  was  to  break 
to  her  the  news  of  her  brother's  death.  She  was 
looking  at  her  husband's  picture  with  tender  eyes, 
and  motioned  me  to  a  seat  beside  her.  "  Have 
you  had  letters  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No,"  she  answered,  "  or  rather  yes,"  she 
continued,  as  if  speaking  of  a  matter  of  secondary 
importance — "  a  letter  from  Hans  ;  he  is  back  in 
Germany  again  ;  has  come,  in  fact,  to  take  part 
in  the  campaign.  Would  that  he  had  remained 
in  America !  It  is  so  painful  ;  he  should  have 
saved  me  from  disagreeable  possibilities.  I  do 
hope  he  won't  run  across  Otto,  for  he  would 
be  sure  to  ask  his  intercession  in  arranging  his 
affairs." 

My  eyes  were  fastened  on  the  floor,  but  the 
tears  ran  down  my  cheeks.  Lotta  had  not  hesi- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  207 

tated  to  implore  Fritz  Roden's  a;d  for  her 
brother,  but  now  her  pride,  made  any  such  ap- 
peal to  her  husband  very  painful.  Evidently 
the  thought  that  the  prince  might  encounter 
Hans  disturbed  her  deeply.  Her  sisterly  love 
seemed  to  have  diminished  since  her  residence 
in  these  beautiful  rooms. 

"Why  do  you  weep?"  she  asked  impatiently. 

Then  I  laid  the  despatch  down  before  her  and 
went  in  the  next  room.  It  was  kinder  to  her  to 
let  her  learn  the  news  by  herself,  after  the  sharp 
comment  she  had  just  uttered. 

After  a  time  she  followed  me,  and  threw  her 
arms  around  my  neck.  And  we  sat  hand  in  hand 
in  the  dark  room,  and  wept  together  over  our 
lost  Hans.  I  knew  she  would  have  given  much 
in  that  hour  if  she  could  have  recalled  the  last 
words  she  had  spoken  about  him.  We  remained 
absolutely  silent :  what  was  there  to  be  said  ? 

When  I  went  home,  late  in  the  evening,  I  found 
the  house  in  a  bustle  ;  Frau  Roden  had  just  fin- 
ished packing  a  trunk,  and  was  now  filling  a 
hamper  with  wines,  liquors,  and  other  possible 
necessities  for  an  invalid. 

"  I  have  sent  him  some  changes  of  linen,"  she 
said  to  me,  putting  her  hand  on  the  little  trunk, 
"  and  Miiller  starts  at  eleven  o'clock." 

He  came  in  at  half-past  ten,  with  his  hat  on 


20  8  Two  Dang  fliers  of  One  Race. 

and  an  overcoat  over  his  arm,  while  he  carried  a 
thick  walking-stick.  He  was  a  quiet,  reserved 
man  of  about  fifty  years;  he  sat  down  by  the 
table  as  composedly  as  if  he  had  dropped  in  for 
a  consultation  regarding  his  daily  duties,  and 
listened  respectfully  to  his  mistress's  directions 
regarding  the  journey. 

"  Muller,"  she  said,  "  I  don't  think  you'll  have 
much  difficulty.  German  is  spoken  everywhere 
now,  and  when  you  come  to  the  place  all  you'll 
have  to  do  is  to  ask  where  the  hospital  is,  and  if 
there  is  none,  then  you  must  search  untiringly 
for  your  young  master.  You  will  surely  recog- 
nize him,  no  matter  how  miserable  he  may  look." 

"Yes,  Frau  Roden,"  he  responded  solemnly, 
"  I  should  know  him  under  any  circumstances." 

"  And  send  me  news  every  day.  I  have  put 
plenty  of  postal-cards  in  the  trunk  pocket,  and 
pens  and  ink  too  ;  and  do  not  be  saving  of  the 
money ;  I  know  how  economical  you  are.  Spend 
when  you  need  it." 

"  Yes,  Frau  Roden." 

"  Muller,  if  you  find  him  doing  well  ! " 

"  I  think  I  shall." 

"  Then  all  may  be  well  yet — God  is  good !  " 

"  Of  course,  mistress." 

"  Muller,  if  he  is  very  ill,  telegraph  me  at  once. 
I  shall  be  ready  to  start.  I  must  see  him  once 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  209 

more,  even  if  he  does  not  recognize  me.  And, 
Miiller,  if  the  worst  has  happened — if  they  have 
already  buried  him — then  at  least  find  the  spot 
where  my  last  son  lies." 

She  cried  softly,  and  Miiller  turned  away,  but 
his  big  gray  eyes  were  wet,  I  could  see. 

"  No,  no,  Frau  Roden,"  he  said,  after  a  pause, 
"  nothing  so  bad  as  that,  and  it  does  not  help 
matters  to  weep  ;  you  must  hold  up  your  head. 
This  is  war,  and  you  do  not  weep  alone,  Frau 
Roden." 

"  Yes,  Miiller,  you  are  right ;  crying  will  not 
mend  matters,  and  I  am  no  bad  patriot.  I 
would  willingly  do  much  for  the  Fatherland,  and 
am  very  proud  of  the  victory  we  have  just  won. 
But  when  I  think  that  my  boy  may  never  call 
'  mother '  again,  that  I  may  never  hear  his 
familiar  footstep,  never  see  him  cross  the  thresh- 
old of  this  room — in  that  moment  I  forget 
country  and  honor,  and  only  remember  that  I 
am  a  poor  old  woman,  from  whom  has  been 
taken  her  last  support,  and  that  no  sunbeam  can 
ever  cross  my  pathway  again  if  my  son  shall 
have  gone  from  me  forever.  Ah,  Miiller,  you 
ask  all  the  mothers  that  have  been  childless 
since  yesterday,  whether  one  of  them  finds  heart 
to  thank  God  because  she  is  the  mother  of  a 
hero,  when  her  boy  is  lying  stiff  and  cold  upon 
14 


2io  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

the  battle-field.  No,  no  ;  they  are  on  their  knees 
in  agony  with  no  other  feeling  than  that  of  pain  ! 
I  speak  of  wives  as  well  as  mothers,  Muller  ;  but 
we  all  love  our  Fatherland,  too." 

"  To  be  sure,"  Muller  answered  thoughtfully. 
"  I  know  that  from  my  own  dear  sister,  who  has 
grieved  so  sorely  because  she  has  never  heard 
from  her  youngest  son  since.  Yes,  the  mother 
hangs  some  new  hope  each  day  upon  her  chil- 
dren's blonde  heads. 

"But  no  one  escapes,  Frau  Roden,  not  even 
the  king,  nor  Bismarck,  nor  Moltke  ;  they  all 
have  broken  hearts  as  well  as  the  mothers — the 
whole  land  mourns.  But,  Frau  Roden,  do  not 
be  discouraged  ;  the  young  master  lives,  and  so 
long  as  we  have  life  we  have  hope.  Farewell ; 
the  carriage  is  waiting." 

"  Adieu,  Muller  !  Take  care  of  my  Fritz  ; 
I  will  never  forget  your  fidelity  as  long  as  I  live." 

"  Oh,  Frau  Roden,  that  is  only  my  duty,"  said 
the  man.  "Farewell,  Fraulein  von  Werthern." 

"  Adieu,  Herr  Muller,"  I  said  ;  "  give  a  kindly 
greeting  to  your  master  from  me." 

The  old  lady  followed  him  to  the  door,  and 
I  stood  at  the  window  watching  the  carriage 
lamps  until  they  disappeared  under  the  gateway. 
Would  he  find  him  ?  I  wondered.  Would  he 
find  him — and  how  ?  Wounded  to  the  death, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          21 1 

or  dying  of  fever,  or  perhaps,  like  our  poor 
Hans,  no  more  counted  among  the  living  ? 

Frau  Roden  did  not  come  back,  and,  after  a 
time,  I  sought  her  through  the  house  and  found 
her  in  her  son's  room  ;  the  candle  stood  upon 
his  writing-table,  and  she  was  sitting  on  the  sofa 
holding  an  old  straw  hat  in  her  hand. 

"  It  had  fallen  from  his  clothes-press,"  she 
explained  ;  and  I  acted  as  if  I  did  not  know 
that  the  dear  old  soul  had  come  here  to  look 
for  something  belonging  to  her  Fritz  which  she 
might  press  to  her  lips. 

And  then  she  asked  the  question  I  had  just 
put  to  myself  :  "  Would  Miiller  find  him,  and 
would  he  bring  him  home  ? "  I  was  silent,  and 
she  moaned  sadly. 

"  What  v  ill  become  of  us  if  he  does  not  come 
back,  Helena?  " 

"  Of  us  ?  "  I  asked.  The  "  us  "  struck  to  my 
very  heart.  The  hat  rolled  to  my  feet,  and  the 
old  lady  rose  and  threw  her  arms  around  me 
and  kissed  me  warmly.  "  Ah,  dear  child,  you  do 
not  know  how  much  I  love  you  !  "  Then  she 
looked  into  my  tired  face,  and  led  me  across  the 
hall  to  my  own  room.  "  Go  to  sleep,"  she  said  ; 
"  it  has  been  a  hard  day  ;  God  will  be  merciful." 
And  I  was  left  alone  in  my  room,  my  heart  beat- 
ing strangely  in  my  breast. 


212  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

What  would  become  of  us — of  me  ?  Ah,  I 
could  not  be  more  miserable  if  he  were  dead, 
not  more  miserable  than  now,  for  he  would  never 
forget  Lotta,  never !  And  if  he  came  home, 
where  would  I  go  ?  Where  indeed  ?  The  world 
was  large,  and  helping  hands  were  needed  every- 
where. 

"  I  will  become  a  nurse  in  a  hospital,"  I  deter- 
mined, as  I  stared  into  the  darkness  with  my 
sleepless  eyes. 


CHAPTER  X. 

DAY  followed  day,  slowly  and  tediously.  In 
the  bright  sunny  room  adjoining  Frau  Roden's 
own  sleeping-chamber  a  bed  had  been  placed, 
and  was  all  in  readiness  with  its  snow-white  linen 
for  the  young  master.  Heavy  shutters  hung  at 
the  windows  so  that  the  sun  could  be  excluded 
on  oppressive  days,  a  large  invalid's  chair  was 
placed  at  one  of  them,  and  everything  was  in 
readiness  for  the  reception  of  the  invalid  ;  but 
he  for  whose  comfort  all  had  been  prepared  did 
not  come. 

Very  meagre  was  the  news  which  we  received 
from  Mtiller,  for  he  got  on  slowly.  The  railways 
had  been  torn  up,  and  conveyances  of  any  kind 
it  was  hard  to  obtain,  and  he  had  been  able,  so 
far,  to  ascertain  nothing  definite  in  regard  to 
where  the  wounded  had  been  taken.  They  had 
evidently  been  distributed  over  different  parts 
of  the  country.  Each  day  the  papers  recounted 
additional  horrors  of  that  fatal  battle-field  :  was 
it  any  wonder  that  our  courage  sank  deeper  and 
deeper  ? 

At  last  we  saw  his  name  in  the  list  of  the  se- 
verely wounded.  "  Oh  God  !  and  I  am  not  wjth 


214  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 


him,"  moaned  his  mother  ;  "  my  only  son,  all  I 
have  in  this  world — and  so  far  from  him."  And 
then  she  would  ask  again  whether  she  was  not 
strong  enough  to  go  in  search  of  him,  and  she 
would  always  give  herself  the  same  despondent 
answer  : 

"  But  I  could  not  go  beyond  the  frontier." 
Then  after  two  weeks  came  a  card  from  Pont 
a  Mousson  ; 

"  I  have  found  him,  he  is  already  better;  in  two  weeks 
the  physician  says  he  thinks  we  will  be  able  to  start  for 
home,  travelling  slowly.  He  only  recovered  consciousness 
yesterday  and  is  very  weak  ;  he  was  very  glad  to  see  me, 
and  sends  a  hearty  greeting  to  his  mother.  He  is  sleeping 
now,  and  Frau  Roden  can  nurse  the  happy  thought  that 
he  has  had  enough  of  this  campaign,  which,  by  the  way, 
I  think  will  soon  end.  I  will  write  you  regularly  here- 
after. 

"  MULLER." 

I  was  with  Lotta  when  the  card  came,  but  in 
her  joy  Frau  Roden  sent  it  over  to  me  at  once. 

Lotta  took  no  notice  of  the  paper  the  servant 
had  brought  me.  She  worked  quietly  on  the 
princely  arms  which  she  was  embroidering  in 
gold  and  red  on  a  white  ground.  She  was  mak- 
ing a  portfolio  cover  for  her  husband  to  send 
him  on  his  birthday.  With  a  happy  smile  she 
stopped  every  now  and  then  to  consider  her  work 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          215 

and  to  look  at  it  in  a  small  mirror  that  lay  on  the 
table  in  front  of  her. 

We  were  sitting  in  the  castle  garden  ;  it  was 
one  of  those  perfect  days  which  seem  only  pos- 
sible in  September,  and  the  gentle  breeze  stirred 
the  branches  over  our  heads  and  bore  to  us  the 
delicate  perfumes  of  the  autumn  flowers. 

Lotta  had  letters  and  despatches  lying  around 
her,  and  in  an  open  case  on  the  table  before  her 
lay  a  magnificent  jewel  from  the  court  jeweller 
which  had  been  sent  her  by  the  order  of  his  high- 
ness, and  which  blazed  and  glistened  in  the  sun- 
shine. She  was  in  great  good  humor  to-day,  for 
she  had  just  received  a  long  letter  from  one  of  her 
former  friends  in  Berlin,  congratulating  her  upon 
her  brilliant  alliance,  and  saying  that  notwith- 
standing the  war  excitement,  the  chief  topic  of 
conversation  in  society  circles  at  the  capital  was 
the  marriage  of  the  lovely  Lotta  von  Werthern 
with  Prince  Otto. 

Her  husband  had  just  written  her  that  as  soon 
as  the  war  was  over — and  it  looked  now  as  if 
peace  would  soon  be  proclaimed — they  would 
take  their  wedding  journey,  and  he  asked  her  in 
which  city  she  would  prefer  to  reside  for  the 
coming  winter,  Rome  or  Naples.  She  was  so 
absorbed  in  her  pleasant  dreams  and  the  em- 
broidery she  was  working  that  she  did  not 


216  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


notice  the  card,  upon   which  Frau   Roden   had 
added  : 

''Do  not  hurry  back,  Helena,  for  I  am  going  to  the 
superintendent  and  then  to  Frau  Oberforster  to  tell  them 
that  he  yet  lives." 

We  had  never  spoken  of  Fritz  Roden.  I  felt 
my  hand  tremble  violently  as  I  gave  Lotta  a  cup 
of  coffee  for  which  she  had  begged,  and  a  few 
brown  drops  fell  upon  the  embroidery. 

She  looked  up  angrily. 

"  Ah,  Helena,  be  careful.  You  will  spoil  all 
my  work." 

I  was  frightened  and  begged  her  pardon.  But 
she  was  not  mollified. 

"  I  would  like  to  know,  Helena,  what  has  come 
over  you  ? " 

"  It  was  good  news,  Lotta." 

"  From  whom  have  you  had  good  news  ?  " 

"  Not  I ;  it  was  Frau  Roden  received  it;  Ftitz 
is  better.  You  probably  do  not  know  that  he 
was  severely  wounded." 

She  lifted  her  head  and  looked  at  me  ;  there 
was  no  sympathy  in  the  glance  of  astonishment. 
I  had  spoken  rather  sharply.  As  she  said  noth- 
ing I  began  : 

"  As  I  am  talking  about  this,  Lotta,  I  may  as 
well  add,  that  I  am  going  back  to  Berlin  when 
Fritz  Roden  returns." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          217 

"  Why  under  the  sun  would  you  do  that  ? " 
And  the  piercing  glance  she  gave  me  seemed  to 
look  into  my  very  soul.  I  felt  the  hot  blood 
rush  into  my  cheeks.  I  made  no  answer,  but 
began  knitting  again  on  the  socks  which  were  to 
be  sent  in  Frau  Roden's  next  box  to  camp. 

"  For  my  sake  do  not  leave  your  present  asy- 
lum," she  began.  "  How  can  my  having  broken 
my  engagement  affect  you  ?  He  is  far  too  good- 
natured,  and  was  too  deeply  in  love  with  me  to 
blame  my  sister  for  what  I  did  ;  and  as.  you  know 
all  the  circumstances,  and  he  made  it  very  plain 
that  he  was  desperately  in  love  with  me,  you 
have  nothing  to  risk  in  any  way  by  remaining. 
Or  perhaps  you  have  other  reasons  ?  " 

"No,"  I  answered  coolly. 

"  At  one  time  I  thought  you  were  in  love  with 
Fritz  Roden,"  she  continued  ;  "  but  when  I  saw 
how  collected  you  were,  and  how  quietly  you  sat 
at  your  work-table  when  my  lover  came  in,  I  said 
to  myself  :  '  No  ;  when  a  woman  truly  loves  she 
would  rather  spring  from  the  bridge  into  the 
water  beneath,  than  watch,  with  apparent  indif- 
ference, another  receive  the  caresses  for  which 
she  longs.'  Is  that  not  so,  Helena  ?  " 

I  could  not  answer  ;  she  knew  nothing  of  the 
agony  and  despair  I  had  endured  that  night  on 
the  steps,  nor  how  hard  it  had  been  for  me  to  sit 


2i8  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

quietly  when  I  heard  his  footsteps  at  the  door ; 
I  had  often  been  fearful  she  would  hear  my  heart 
beat. 

Lotta  sat  quietly  for  a  few  moments  winding 
her  silks  carelessly. 

At  last  she  said:  "And  that  is  why  I  think 
you  can  remain  quietly  where  you  are,  without 
your  enviable  equanimity  being  disturbed  in  the 
slightest." 

"  That  is  what  you  call  love  ?  "  I  asked,  taking 
no  notice  of  her  last  words. 

"  Yes,  that  is  love,"  she  replied  vehemently. 
"  Suppose,  for  example,  that  you  loved  Fritz 
Roden.  Do  you  think  that  was  love  you  felt 
when  you  came  to  me  with  his  proposal  ?  And 
during  the  whole  time  of  my  engagement,  which, 
by  the  way,  was  the  most  horrible  chapter  of  my 
whole  life,  you  kept  urging  me  to  treat  him  with 
what  you  considered  a  proper  regard,  and  begged 
me  on  your  knees  not  to  retract  my  promise, 
because  it  would  make  him  unhappy.  Helena,  I 
tell  you  that  no  woman  who  loves  has  any  such 
magnanimity,  not  even  the  noblest  soul,  and  such, 
on  the  whole,  I  consider  you  to  be.  No  human 
being  has  such  control  over  himself." 

"  I  believe  in  a  better  love,"  I  said,  half  aloud. 

"  Then  it  is  no  love  at  all,"  she  continued  ire- 
fully.  "  Do  not  always  revolve  around  one  idea, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          219 


Helena ;  call  it  friendship,  good-will,  benevo- 
lence— what  you  will — but  do  not  call  it  love  ! 
Love  is  never  better  nor  never  worse  ;  it  is  always 
and  ever  the  same  ;  it  tolerates  nothing  foreign. 
You  certainly  won't  try  to  make  me  believe  that 
you — 

"  Shall  I  read  the  papers  aloud  ? "  I  interrupted 
shortly. 

"  No,  I  thank  you.  I  am  tired  to  death  of 
this  unending  war  news,"  she  answered  peevishly  ; 
"  just  as  I  am  tired  of  seeing  you  forever  knitting 
at  those  socks." 

This  was  the  old  capricious  Lotta  von  Wer- 
thern.  Uncertain  in  temper,  and  always  wrath- 
ful when  her  opinion  was  not  accepted.  How 
she  could  hurt  me  with  her  tongue.  I  continued 
knitting  for  a  few  moments,  and  then  rolled  up 
my  work,  and  rose  preparatory  to  going  home. 

As  I  did  so,  I  saw  Anita  coming  down  the 
path  toward  us.  She  was  dressed  entirely  in 
black,  and  looked  smaller  than  ever.  I  thought, 
as  I  watched  her,  how  lovely  she  must  have 
been  when  a  girl,  and  how  attractive  she  was 
still. 

Anita  could  not  keep  her  eyes  from  mirroring 
what  was  in  her  mind,  and  I  saw,  as  she  came 
up  to  us,  that  something  had  occurred  which  dis- 
turbed her  greatly. 


220          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Countess,"  she  said,  in  a  humble,  quiet  voice, 
"  I  bring  you  bad  news ;  early  this  morning,  at 
R.,  a  dead  prince  was  born." 

She  gave  me  a  glance,  as  she  spoke,  which  I 
did  not  then  comprehend. 

But  Lotta  only  said  :' 

"  Oh  !— dead  ?     How  sad  !  " 

She  had  no  thought  that  in  this  little  princely 
coffin  would  be  buried,  not  only  the  last  conso- 
lation of  the  stricken  and  widowed  mother,  but 
her  own  hopes  of  happiness  as  well. 

Anita  was  silent,  but  looked  at  me  with  uneasy, 
frightened  eyes.  Lotta  sat  plying  her  needle 
with  its  golden  thread,  and  thought  only  of  a 
wreath  for  the  coffin. 

"vGo  at  once  to  the  gardener,  Anita,  and  tell 
him  to  make  a  wreath  of  white  violets  ;  there  are 
so  many  violets  now,  and  they  are  spring  flowers, 
too.  Poor  princess  !  And  how  is  she,  Anita  ? 
How  did  you  hear  of  it  ? " 

"  The  whole  town  is  talking  of  it,  my  lady." 

"  Well,  I  shall,  of  course,  be  informed  of  it. 
Go  and  tell  the  gardener  about  the  wreath.'' 
Anita  went  at  once. 

I  felt  almost  suffocated  as  I  looked  at  the 
young  wife  sitting  so  quietly  opposite  me.  A 
storm  was  gathering  around  her  which  might  at 
any  moment  burst  over  her  beautiful  head  and 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          221 

destroy  her  forever.  She  sat  leaning  back  in  her 
chair,  and  had  thrown  her  embroidery  aside.  I 
knew  not  what  were  her  thoughts,  but  the  color 
came  and  went  in  her  face. 

Finally  she  rose  and  said  ;  "  I  want  to  write 
to  Otto  ;  only  a  few  words.  Will  you  come  in 
with  me  ?  " 

"  I  will  follow  you  shortly,  Lotta." 

I  followed  her  with  my  eye  until  she  disap- 
peared through  the  glass  door  in  the  castle. 
What  would  become  of  this  passionate  creature 
when  they  should  say  to  her  :  "  Go,  you  are  not 
of  high  enough  birth  to  be  the  wife  of  the  heir 
to  the  throne  ?  " 

I  could  not  endure  the  thought  of  it,  and 
sprang  up  and  began  to  wander  through  the 
grounds,  among  the  beds  of  brilliant  flowers,  past 
the  murmuring  fountains,  catching  glimpses  now 
and  then  of  the  white  marble  statues  which 
glistened  in  the  sunlight  or  stood  half  hidden  in 
the  shadow  of  the  grove. 

But  was  all  then  lost  ?  If  only  the  prince 
loved  her  better  than  crown  or  throne  !  Is  not 
a  marriage  sacred  ?  How  could  man  dare  to 
interfere  when  they  had  given  themselves  to  one 
another  to  all  eternity  ?  And  then  there  came, 
as  if  in  answer  to  my  question,  a  whisper  from 
Anita,  who  stood  by  my  side. 


222  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Oh,  this  is  very  bad  for  the  countess,  Fra'u- 
lein  von  Werthern." 

I  turned  now  and  went  into  the  castle,  and 
found  Lotta  in  her  own  room  at  the  beautiful 
writing-table,  with  its  feet  of  golden  lion's  claws, 
and  its  back  a  golden  sphinx  with  unearthly  eyes 
resting  upon  a  marble  base  with  the  inscription 
in  French  :  "  What  the  future  has  hidden  in  its 
dark  bosom  is  a  riddle,  unfathomable  for  the 
moment,  but  Time  reveals  all  things."  Before 
her  lay  a  letter  already  sealed  and  directed. 

"  Read  the  address,"  she  said,  handing  it  to  me. 
"  I  am  sadly  confused  to-day.  Is  it  all  right  ? " 

"Yes,"  I  answered,  after  scanning  it  carefully. 

She  thanked  me,  and  stepped  to  the  bell. 

After  the  servant  had  taken  the  letter  away, 
she  turned  to  me  :  "  Helena,  I  think  there  is 
a  '  History  of  Roman  Art '  among  our  books  ; 
won't  you  find  it  and  send  it  across  to  me  ?  I 
want  to  study  it." 

"  Willingly,  Lotta  ;  and  I  will  come  back  and 
remain  with  you,  if  you  desire  it." 

"  No,  no  ;  I  will  read."  And  she  took  from  a 
drawer  a  package  of  letters  and  untied  them. 
They  were  her  husband's.  Had  she  any  mis- 
givings that  her  trust  and  confidence  in  him 
might  prove  misplaced  ? 

As  I  went  from  the  castle  I  met  Frau  Roden, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          223 

Avith  a  happy  smile  on  her  face  that  had  been 
lacking  there  for  many  a  day.  "  God  is  good," 
she  said,  as  she  pressed  my  hand. 

"  Have  you  heard,"  I  asked,  "  the  prince  was 
born  dead  ?  " 

She  nodded  her  head  and  looked  at  me  ear- 
nestly, but  said  nothing. 

The  following  morning  all  Germany  was  one 
great  jubilee.  The  bells  pealed  forth  merrily, 
and  the  people  shouted  themselves  hoarse,  as  the 
news  fairly  flew  :  "  Napoleon  is  taken  prisoner  ! 
He  has  surrendered  his  sword  to  the  King  of 
Prussia  !  " 

The  air  was  filled  with  music,  and  the  people 
shouted  their  war  songs  with  untiring  enthu- 
siasm. 

Just  at  twilight  as  I  sat  at  my  window  an  ele- 
gant carriage  drove  up  to  the  castle,  and  a  man 
alighted  and  went  hurriedly  within  the  portals. 
I  could  not  see  clearly,  for  the  chestnut  branches 
were  in  my  way.  "  Could  it  possibly  be  Prince 
Otto  ?  "  I  asked  myself. 

I  had  just  finished  writing  a  letter  to  my  guar- 
dian, begging  him  to  secure  for  me  a  place  as 
nurse  in  a  Berlin  hospital. 

Frau  Roden  had  no  thought  of  what  I  con- 
templated ;  that  I  knew,  but  I  could  not  do 
otherwise.  It  was  no  despairing  jump  from  the 


224  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


bridge,  as  Lotta  had  said,  but  I  did  not  feel  I 
was  strong  enough  to  begin  my  old  heart  strug- 
gles anew. 

There  was  no  sound  in  the  whole  house.  All 
the  maids  and  lads  were  out — building  the  bon- 
fires and  otherwise  assisting  in  the  preparations 
for  the  illumination. 

The  great,  good  news  of  victory  had  obliter- 
ated from  all  minds  for  the  time  being  the  little 
dead  prince. 

It  was  a  high,  a  holy  inspiration,  and  the  en- 
thusiasm reached  the  lowliest  hut,  and  entered 
into  hearts  which  sorrow  and  distress  had  made 
almost  callous.  The  people  stood  upon  their 
doorsteps  and  talked  of  it  all  over  and  over 
again,  and  even  the  smallest  children  playing  at 
their  feet  told  how  Napoleon  had  been  captured, 
and  his  army  forced  to  lay  down  their  arms. 

And  the  mother  nodded,  and  thought  of  the 
broken  hearts  the  terrible  war  had  made. 

"  Napoleon  is  a  prisoner  !  Great  God,  thou 
art  just ! " 

Then  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  old  lady  sing- 
ing in  her  feeble  tremble,  "  Now  praise  ye  the 
Lord  !  " 

I  hurried  downstairs  to  her  and  sat  down  on 
a  stool  at  her  feet,  and  soon  we  were  singing 
together ; 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          225 

"  With  one  consent  let  all  the  earth 
To  God  their  cheerful  voices  raise  ! " 

As  I  sang  I  looked  up  at  the  picture  hanging 
over  the  piano,  and  the  tears  filled  my  eyes  as 
I  gazed  on  the  handsome  boyish  face.  Ah,  the 
battle-field  of  St.  Privat  had  left  scars  that  only 
time  could  heal ;  I  could  sing  no  more  that  night ! 

"Ah,  Helena,  there  is  joy  and  peace  in  many 
households  to-night,"  said  the  old  lady,  pressing 
my  hand  gently.  "  And  now  come  with  me  to 
the  cellar  ;  to  night  my  people  shall  have  a  glass 
of  wine  :  there  is  a  small  cask  of  red  Elsasser 
which  they  shall  drink  ;  Jurgen  shall  bring  it  up. 
And  then  we  must  light  the  lamps.  I  see  lights 
already  in  the  shop  at  the  corner." 

But  the  old  lady  had  to  go  alone  to  the  cellar 
after  all,  for  Lotta  sent  me  an  imperative  message 
to  come  across  to  her  immediately. 

As  I  hastened  to  her  in  the  yellow  salon,  I 
realized  that  the  storm  had  already  gathered, 
and  hung  over  the  head  of  the  deathly-pale  wife, 
who  met  me  with  such  singular  composure  as  I 
entered. 

To  think  that  it  had  come  so  quickly  ! 

"  The  Lord  Chamberlain  von   Oerzen,"  said 

Lotta,  presenting  me  ;    and  from  a  sofa  near  the 

round  table   in  the  middle  of  the  room  rose  a 

little  thin  man,  about  fifty-five  years  of   age,  I 

15 


226  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


should  judge.  His  dress  was  entirely  black  ;  he 
wore  a  mourning  badge  on  his  right  arm,  and 
held  his  hat  in  his  hand  while  he  made"  me  a 
ceremonious  bow.  He  gave  a  slight  cough, 
looked  at  me  curiously  through  his  pale  blue 
eyes,  and  then  took  another  seat  nearer  us. 
Lotta  sank  back  again  in  her  low  chair,  and  I 
took  a  seat  near  her. 

No  one  spoke  for  a  moment,  and  the  stillness 
*  as  oppressive  ;  the  sounds  of  music  and  the  joy- 
vJ  shouts  came  in  through  the  window. 

''Shouts  of  victory,"  said  the  lord  chamber- 
lain, at  last,  as  he  turned  to  me.  "  What  a  glit- 
tering exterior  !  And  yet  how  sad  to  the  indi- 
vidual is  this  war,  how  many  fair  young  lives, 
how  many  beautiful  hopes  are  destroyed  !  There 
comes  to  the  one  who  is  forced  to  make  great 
sacrifices  only  the  consolation  :  It  is  for  the  good 
of  all." 

He  looked  across  at  Lotta,  who  sat  with  white 
face  and  a  smile  of  derision  on  her  trembling 
lips.  She  gave  him  no  answer. 

"  The  gracious  countess  will  understand  it 
fully, 'A  he  said,  smiling  and  bowing,  while  he 
turned  his  eyes  searchingly  upon  her  immobile 
countenance. 

"  No,"  responded  Lotta,  "  I  do  not  understand 
it,  and  will  not  understand  it,  Herr  von  Oerzen. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  227 


Have  the  goodness  to  say  to  the  duke  that  you 
unfortunately  had  to  do  with  a  woman  who  was 
so  dull  of  apprehension  that  she  was  unable  to 
comprehend  'the  good  of  all.'  But  that  she  is  a 
woman,  a  woman  who  loves  her  husband  un- 
speakably, and  who  therefore  has  no  place  in  her 
heart  for  these  other  interests.  Tell  the  duke 
that  this  woman  knows  nothing  of  politics,  but 
that  she  does  know  how  to  be  true  and  how  to 
keep  her  word." 

Lotta  controlled  her  voice  with  difficulty  as  she 
spoke.  She  rose  with  her  last  words,  and  bowed 
haughtily  to  the  astounded  ambassador,  and  in 
another  moment  the  yellow  silk  curtains  closed 
behind  her  vanishing  form.  Now  I  knew  all;  it 
had  come  to  this. 

I  was  about  to  follow  her,  but  the  lord  cham- 
berlain detained  me  by  a  motion  of  his  hand  and 
a  despairing  glance.  "  Fraulein  von  Werthern," 
he  said  earnestly,  "  it  is  a  terribly  painful  and 
exceedingly  delicate  matter  upon  which  I  have 
sought  an  audience  with  the  countess.  I  beg 
you  to  assist  me,  to  stand  by  me.  It  is  an  affair 
of  the  coldest  reason,  a  question  of  politics,  and 
I  know  that  it  must  fall  into  the  spring-time  of 
love  like  a  destructive  frost.  But  the  necessity 
is  so  inexorable,  the  compulsion  so  unavoidable, 
that— that " 


228  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

He  paused  and  wiped  the  perspiration  from 
his  brow. 

"  I  know  what  you  mean,  Herr  von  Oerzen  ; 
everybody  anticipated  what  would  come  after 
the  death  of  the  heir  apparent  and  the  birth  of 
the  dead  prince,  everybody  except  my  sister  ; 
my  poor,  dear  Lotta." 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  the  tradition,  the  cus- 
tom, is  as  relentless  as  fate  ;  but  it  must  be  so." 

"  I  understand  you  perfectly,"  I  replied,  and 
my  voice  trembled.  "  You  said  the  same  thing 
a  moment  ago  plainly  enough  :  '  The  individual 
must  subordinate  himself  to  the  whole.'  It 
sounds  very  wonderful  and  may  be  very  noble, 
but " 

"But  you  heard  the  countess's  answer,"  he 
interrupted  hastily.  "  I  dare  not  take  such  an 
answer  to  the  duke.  I  must  at  least  have  the 
appearance  of  compliance." 

"You  do  not  know  my  sister." 

"  My  God,  Fraulein,  the  countess  is  a  lady  of 
such  fine  feeling,  such  delicate  perceptions,  it  is 
impossible  she  should  not  perceive  that  Prince 
Otto  really  can  no  longer  follow  his  inclinations, 
that  he  has  earnest  duties  to  perform." 

"She  loves  her  husband,"  I  stammered,  and 
the  tears  came  into  my  eyes. 

"  I  beseech  you,  Fraulein,  to  obtain  for  me 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          229 

another  quarter  of  an  hour's  audience  with  the 
countess." 

"  I  will  try  it,"  I  answered,  and  went  with  beat- 
ing heart  into  the  next  apartment  ;  she  was  not 
there  ! 

But  in  her  bed-chamber  I  heard  the  sound  of 
sobbing,  and  directed  my  steps  thither.  The  rich 
hanging  lamp  cast  a  rose  glow  through  the  cosey 
room,  and  the  princely  crown,  by  which  the  heavy 
folds  of  the  blue  silk  hangings  of  the  great  bed 
were  fastened  to  the  ceiling,  sparkled  faintly  in 
the  dim  light.  My  step  was  not  audible  on  the 
thick,  soft  carpet,  and  I  kneeled  down  by  Lotta, 
who  sat  motionless  in  a  large  arm-chair.  Her 
back  was  turned  to  the  light,  her  hands  were 
firmly  clasped  together,  and  her  eyes  were  fixed 
upon  a  life-size  portrait  of  the  prince  which  hung 
on  the  wall  before  her.  She  did  not  perceive  my 
presence  until  I  touched  her  lightly. 

"Lotta,  my  dear,  good  Lotta,"  I  said  tenderly. 

'What  do  you  want  ? "  she  said  as  she  aroused 
herself. 

"  I  thought  you  were  crying,  Lotta." 

"  I  ? — no  ; — why  ?  Because  the  duke  has  sent 
the  scarecrow  to  intimidate  me  ?  No  !  I  am 
disturbed,  but  Otto  will  know  how  to  avenge  me. 
Do  you  know  why  that  man  came,  Helena  ? " 
she  continued,  leaning  forward.  "  I  shall  write 


230  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

at  once  to  Otto  that  if  he  is  in  doubt  as  to 
whether  he  will  resign  his  claims  as  heir  apparent, 
I  will  not  stand  in  the  way  of  his  fortune,  and 
will  give  him  at  once  his  freedom — freedom  to 
marry  a  princess,  for,  of  course,  that  is  what  they 
require.  Yes,  Helena,  that  is  what  I  shall  write 
him — with  this  hand,  which  has  each  day  written 
to  assure  him  that  I  would  love  him  to  all  eter- 
nity. I,  who  have  scarcely  possessed  him,  will 
show  him  the  way  to  turn  aside  if  he  desires. 
They  have  offered  me  what  they  consider  ade- 
quate compensation,  and  the  unbounded  thanks 
of  the  ducal  household  as  an  additional  gift. 
My  God  !  " 

She  ceased  speaking,  and  the  small  hand  upon 
which  the  new  wedding  ring  sparkled,  clutched 
at  her  hair  spasmodically. 

"  Never,"  she  repeated,  "  never.  I  will  not 
be  a  puppet  in  their  hands." 

"  Lotta,"  I  begged,  "  Herr  von  Oerzen  wishes 
to  speak  to  you  only  for  a  moment." 

"  No  !  "  she  cried,  and  sprang  to  her  feet. 
"No!  Say  to  him,  that  if  it  be  Prince  Otto's' 
wish  to  push  the  unbefitting  wife  aside,  well  and 
good  ;  but  I  will  have  no  further  conversation  on 
the  subject — never.  And  he,"  she  sank  back  in 
her  chair  and  looked  up  at  me  wildly,  "  he  loves 
me.  Go  and  tell  that  man  what  I  say." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  231 

"  The  duchess  wished  to  spare  her  much  bit- 
terness," lisped  the  chamberlain,  rather  discon- 
certed by  my  message,  "both  him  and  her.  On!/ 
this  mornipg  the  duchess  said  to  me  that  it  would 
be,  in  the  long  run,  so  much  better  for  the 
countess  if  she,  with  noble  self-forgetfulness, 
Nvoulrt  give  back  to  the  prince  his  freedom,  so 
much  easier  for  her  than  to  have  him  say,  '  My 
dear  child,  so  and  so,  I  have  loved  you  ardently, 
but  the  circumstances  demand '-  You  under- 
stand, Fraulein  von  Werthern  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  Herr  von  Oerzen,"  I  asked, 
trembling,  "  but  if  the  prince  does  not  say  that, 
if  he  loves  my  sister  so  well  that  he  will  not  re- 
nounce her,  what  then  ?  " 

He  was  embarrassed,  greatly  embarrassed  ;  he 
stammered  about  beauty,  intellectual  endow- 
ments of  the  countess,  relentless  fate,  fulfilment 
of  duty,  princely  birth,  and  what  its  requirements 
were. 

"  It  was  a  foolish  question,"  I  responded  bit- 
terly. "  Pardon  me  !  "  He  stared  at  the  tears 
that  were  rolling  down  my  cheeks — after  all,  he 
was  only  a  human  being. 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,"  he  began  warmly, 
and  took  my  hand  ;  "  you  do  not  know  Prince 
Otto  ;  but  were  it  otherwise,  were  he  the  most 
earnest,  the  best,  the  truest,  and  most  honest  of 


232  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

his  sex,  if  he  were  convinced  that  they  should 
both  be  miserable  for  all  time,  he  there  and  she 
here,  still  it  could  not  be  helped.  There  are 
duties  which  a  prince  dare  not  shun  ;  the  times 
of  Philippine  Welser  and  of  the  old  Duke  of  Des- 
sau are  gone.  Farewell,  dear  Fraulein,  and  do 
me  the  justice  to  believe  that  in  all  my  life  I 
have  had  no  harder  duty  to  perform  than  the 
message  which  I  was  forced  to  deliver  in  this 
room  to-day." 

He  pressed  my  hand  and  bowed  and  was  gone 
in  a  moment.  I  hastened  to  Lotta's  sleeping- 
room,  but  found  the  glass  doors  behind  the  cur- 
tains closed.  I  knocked  several  times,  but  re- 
ceived no  answer. 

"  Lotta  !  "  I  cried,  "  I  only  want  to  speak  a 
word,  dear  Lotta  !  "  But  I  heard  no  sound. 
Puzzled  I  turned  away,  and  found  Anita  waiting 
to  speak  to  me. 

"  Herr  von  Oerzen  begs  that  you  will  give 
these  papers  to  the  countess,  for  she  may  possibly 
be  induced  to  sign  them,"  she  said,  and  handed 
me  a  sealed  envelope  addressed  to  my  sister. 

I  took  it  mechanically  and  stepped  back  into 
the  yellow  salon  ;  Anita  followed  me,  evidently 
with  something  on  her  mind.  I  went  to  the  table, 
and  stood  there  with  sorrowful  thoughts  in  my 
heart. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          233 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,"  began  Anita,  in 
her  peculiarly  accentuated  German,  "  the  duke 
means  well  by  the  countess— he — he — if  the 
countess  will  believe  it " 

I  looked  at  her  and  she  hesitated  a  moment. 

"  Oh,  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  you  have  never 
liked  me,"  she  continued,  "  you  have  always 
passed  me  by  so  proudly  as  if  you  would  say,  '  I 
perceive  that  all  is  not  quite  right  here.'  How 
does  it  happen  that  I  am  here  in  this  castle — that 
the  people  look  at  me  with  such  meaning  glances  ? 
It  is  a  long,  sad  history,  which  I  will  not  relate 
to  you,  only  I  pray,  if  it  is  possible,  make  the 
countess  accept  the  proposal  that  was  made  to 
her  to-day  !  She  will  be  spared  great  grief,  for 
he  " — she  came  close  to  me — "  he  is  one  of  those 
of  whom  your  German  proverb  says  :  He  would 
walk  over  the  body  of  his  brother  !  " 

I  stared  at  her.  What  could  she  know  of  the 
lord  chamberlain's  mission  ? 

She  took  up  a  silver  tray  with  a  glass  of 
seltzer  water  on  it,  and  as  she  turned  to  leave  the 
room  she  looked  back  over  her  shoulder  at  me, 
and  smiling,  added  : 

"  I  know  it  from  my  own  experience  ;  I  know 
how  such  things  are  arranged  here." 

Her  speech  had  a  frivolous  sound,  but  in  her 
dark  eyes  the  tears  had  gathered  and  gave  a 


234  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

sharp  contradiction  to  her  assumed  gayety.  For 
the  first  time  in  my  life  I  had  a  feeling  of  compas- 
sion for  this  woman,  growing  gray  in  this  castle. 
Oh,  if  Lotta  had  never  set  foot  in  the  place  !  And 
her  old  words  sounded  suddenly  in  my  ear :  "  No, 
I  will  not  be  a  puppet."  Ah,  Lotta,  how  impet- 
uous and  thoughtless  you  have  been  all  your  life. 

The  lamp  burned  brightly  in  the  lovely  room, 
casting  its  shadows  here  and  there  ;  the  clock 
ticked  softly  ;  the  golden  statue  of  the  sphinx 
rose  from  its  marble  base  and  eyed  me  silently  ; 
and  the  inscription  stared  at  me  with  its  devilish 
device  :  "  What  the  future  has  hidden  in  its  dark 
bosom  is  a  riddle,  unfathomable  for  the  moment, 
but  time  reveals  all  things." 

To  me  the  future  was  now  no  riddle.  I  saw 
Lotta  leaving  forever  the  castle,  and  I  going 
sadly  to  join  her  from  the  house  opposite — and 
we  two,  arm  in  arm,  leaving  the  town  and  going — 
where  ?  I  knew  not.  But  we  were  poor  beg- 
gars, without  happiness  or  hope. 


CHAPTER  XL 

THE  i'ollowing  day  I  received  a  line  from  Lotta: 
"  Will  you  go  with  me  to  the  concert  this  even- 
ing ?  "  I  looked  up  at  Frau  Roden,  frightened  : 
we  had  talked  of  nothing  else  since  yesterday 
but  Lotta,  and  the  great  trouble  and  sorrow  that 
had  come  to  her.  There  was  a  strange  singer  in 
town,  and  the  object  of  the  concert  was  to  raise 
money  for  the  wounded,  and  for  the  widows  and 
orphans  in  Rotenberg. 

"  Go  with  her,  Helena  ;  many  seek  diversion  to 
hide  their  grief,"  said  the  good  creature;  "only 
think  in  what  distress  she  must  really  be." 

I  assented,  and  soon  after  I  had  sent  Lotta 
my  answer,  I  heard  her  carriage  rattling  down 
the  street.  She  had  gone  driving  as  usual,  with 
coachman  and  lackey  and  all  the  princely  para- 
phernalia. 

In  the  evening,  when  I  with  heavy  heart  went 
over  to  accompany  her,  I  found  her  waiting, 
already  dressed  in  the  most  elegant  mourning 
attire  I  have  ever  seen  ;  a  black  crape  gown  with 
a  long  train,  richly  garnished  with  point  lace,  and 
a  fan  to  match.  As  we  threaded  our  way  through 


236  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


the  narrow  aisle  in  the  crowded  little  theatre,  we 
were  followed  by  hundreds  of  curious  eyes,  and 
a  murmur  ran  through  the  whole  room  :  "  The 
Countess  Kaltensee  !  " 

I  sat  down,  feeling  I  was  on  coals.  Lotta 
was  supremely  indifferent  to  the  attention  she 
attracted,  and  to  all  appearances  absorbed  in 
the  music.  At  the  end  of  the  first  part  she 
said  : 

"  Now  come  !  " 

And  again  we  went  through  the  hall,  followed 
by  the  inquisitive  glances  of  the  audience. 

"  Were  you  not  pleased  ? "  I  asked,  in  the 
dressing-room. 

"  I  did  not  listen." 

"  But,  Lotta,  why  did  you  go  ?  " 

"  Because  I  wished  people  to  see  that  I  have 
not  yet  been  laid  on  the  shelf  by  order  of  the 
court.  And  that  it  is  not  my  pleasure  to  disap- 
pear suddenly  like  a  flash  of  light." 

She  took  my  arm  as  she  spoke,  and  chatted 
gayly  as  she  went  along  the  quiet  street — of  Rome, 
of  her  coming  winter  there— and  of  her  many 
plans  for  the  future.  When  we  reached  the  cor- 
ner by  the  castle,  the  servants  hastened  ahead  to 
open  the  doors. 

"  Lotta,"  I  said,  "  did  you  get  the  envelope 
— the  letter  that  I  left  on  your  writing-table 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          237 

last  evening,  and  the  line  of  explanation  I 
wrote  ? " 

"  Yes,  indeed  !  And  it  was  turned  into  ashes 
hours  ago;  it  burned  as  briskly  as  such  a  paper 
upon  which  so  perfidious  a  matter  was  written, 
could  burn.  Good-night,  Helena." 

"  Have  you  heard  from  Prince  Otto  to-day  ?  " 

"Yes,  indeed,  just  as  usual." 

"  Good  news,  Lotta  ?  "  She  laughed  care- 
lessly. 

"What  else  ?     Good-night,  Helena." 

And  so  day  followed  day — noihing  of  impor- 
tance occurring  to  disturb  our  quiet  life. 

Lotta  went  driving  ns  usual,  and  always  ap- 
peared with  a  smiling  and  contented  air  ;  the 
autumn  winds  often  cairied  to  us  the  tones  of 
her  piano  as  she  sat  playing.  She  walked  in  that 
part  of  the  castle  gardens  that  was  visible  from 
the  public  highways  ;  and  here  I  saw  her  one 
day  as  I  was  returning  from  the  town.  I  was 
frightened  by  hor  appearance  and  hastened  to 
her.  Her  face  was  ghastly  pale,  her  eyes  were 
heavy,  and  her  cheeks  were  flaming  red,  and  their 
color  was  intensified  by  the  little  black  dotted 
veil  which  she  wore. 

"  Oh,  Lotta,"  I  cried,  "  are  you  ill  ?  " 

"  No,"  she  answered,  walking  beside  me. 

"  You  look  so  feverish." 


Two  .Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Bah  !  I  am  well.  Do  you  think  I  will  let  the 
people  around  here  pity  me  because  I  am  pale 
and  miserable  ?  A  little  rouge  answers  my  pur- 
pose at  present." 

"  Tell  me,  Lotta,"  I  begged,  "  does  Prince  Otto 
know  of  his  father's  designs  ?  " 

She  hesitated  a  moment  before  she  answered. 

"  He  has  assuredly  received  the  letter  in  which 
I  told  him  about  Herr  von  Oerzen's  visit  and 
mission,  for  I  have  had  answers  to  other  matters 
which  were  contained  in  it.  But  to  that  —  he  has 
not  referred  in  any  letter." 

"  And  what  do  you  make  out  of  that,  Lotta  ?  " 

"  That  he  dees  not  wish  to  disturb  me,  and  will 
communicate  to  the  duke  his  intentions." 

"  And  you  will  just  have  to  wait  ?  " 

"  I  have  written  to  him  several  times  to  send 
me  some  definite  answer." 

Each  day  Lotta  grew  paler  and  more  anxious 
looking,  but  she  would  not  talk  of  her  troubles, 
and  walked  and  rode  more  than  formerly,  show- 
ing a  brave  front  to  the  towns-people. 

I  could  only  pray  to  God  to  do  for  her  what 
he  deemed  best. 

Everything  went  on  as  usual  at  the  castle. 
Letters,  presents,  flowers  arrived  daily,  and  Lotta 
painted,  and  sat  at  her  piano  for  hours,  playing 
and  singing. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,          239 

One  morning  she  told  me  that  she  had  written 
to  her  friend,  Fraulein  von  Reckenthien,  to  an- 
nounce her  departure  for  Berlin.  She  would  go 
about  the  middle  of  September,  and  take  Anita 
with  her  as  waiting-maid. 

A  few  mornings  later  a  messenger  boy  came 
to  our  house  with  a  telegram,  which  Frau  Roden 
afterward  declared  was  the  most  precious  mis- 
sive she  had  ever  received  in  her  life.  With  the 
cry  :  "  Helena,  they  are  coming  to-night !  "  she 
opened  the  door  of  my  room.  "  Ah,  the  great, 
good  God  ! " 

"  We  shall  arrive  this  evening  at  eight  o'clock. 

"  MDLLER." 

The  despatch  came  from  Cologne.  And  now 
there  was  life  in  the  house.  "  Sophia,  children — 
into  the  garden  :  cut  some  greens  and  flowers  !  " 
called  their  excited  old  mistress.  "  Mamsell," 
to  the  housekeeper,  "  see  that  the  youngest  hens 
are  killed  ;  child,  Helena,  don't  you  believe  he 
will  be  able  to  eat  chicken  and  apple  cream  ? 
He  is  so  fond  of  apple  cream,  Mamsell.  Helena 
dear,  a  laurel  wreath  !  Dear  heart,  go  over  to 
the  castle  garden  and  make  one,  the  finest  you 
can  weave  for  him  !  " 

And  she  hastened  out  through  the  kitchen  into 
the  court.  "  Jurgen,  see  that  the  carriage  is 


240  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

washed  and  in  order,  and  run  over  to  the  super- 
intendent's office  and  tell  him  from  me  that  the 
young  master  will  be  at  home  to-day  !  And  tell 
Doctor  Rother  to  be  here  by  eight  o'clock, — one 
cannot  be  sure  when  they  will  arrive  ;  order  a 
cask  of  beer  from  the  brewery  for  yourselves. 
At  five  o'clock  we  will  start,  Jurgen  ;  I  am  going 
to  Triebelsburg  myself  to  bring  my  boy  home." 

The  house  was,  indeed,  in  an  uproar  the 
greater  part  of  that  day  ;  the  hall  was  littered 
with  greens  and  autumn  blossoms,  and  Frau 
Roden  and  I,  with  what  maids  were  not  needed 
elsewhere,  were  soon  making  garlands  and  fes- 
tooning the  walls.  In  the  middle  of  her  work 
the  Frau  stopped  suddenly  and  put  her  hands 
over  her  face. 

"Only  think,  Helena,  of  the  poor  people  who 
have  no  need  to  make  wreaths  ! — the  dead  can- 
not return." 

About  mid-day  two  large  fir-trees  were  bound 
to  the  pillars  at  the  entrance  to  the  court,  and  a 
garland  was  hung  from  one  to  the  other  ;  and 
in  the  centre  was  suspended  a  transparency  with 
a  verse  setting  forth  the  bravery  of  the  Ger- 
man soldiers,  and  how  the  French  had  been 
defeated. 

The  old  shepherd  had  seen  to  that.  Mamsell 
did  not  find  the  verse  much  to  her  taste,  but  she 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  241 

saw  that  the  old  servant  had  no  other  thought 
than  to  say  something  flattering  to  the  young 
master,  so  she  took  it  in  good  part.  The  old 
man  had  used  the  same  rhyme  when  he  had  wel- 
comed another  soldier,  also  a  "  Herr  Roden," 
back  from  the  battle-field  of  Leipsic. 

"  To  be  sure,"  said  the  old  man,  "  he  left  a 
leg  behind  him,  but  he  brought  back  a  Cross  of 
the  Legion." 

That  must  have  been  Fritz's  great-uncle. 

By  evening  everything  was  in  readiness ; 
wreaths  were  placed  over  all  the  doors — fes- 
toons hung  from  the  centre  lamps  to  the  four 
corners  of  the  room — flowers  were  everywhere. 
The  choicest  silver  and  glass,  and  the  finest 
table  linen  had  been  brought  out. 

The  happy  mother  was  attired  in  a  rich  black 
silk,  with  pale  blue  ribbons  fluttering  from  her 
dainty  cap,  and  rare  old  lace  at  her  neck  and 
wrists. 

In  his  room  alone  were  no  flowers  or  gar- 
lands, only  the  laurel  wreath  on  a  little  table  by 
his  bed. 

And  now  with  what  a  joyous  face  she  goes  to 
the  carriage,  and  the  maids  follow  laden  with 
pillows  and  rugs  and  foot-rests. 

I  sat  in  my  room  above  looking  out  at  her, 
while  in  my  lap  lay  a  letter  just  received  from 
16 


242  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

my  guardian.  He  told  me  that  he  could  get 
me  admitted  into  the  Elizabeth  Hospital  ;  and 
wished  to  know  how  it  happened  that  I  was 
desirous  of  leaving  a  place  where  I  had  at  first 
been  so  well  satisfied. 

Ah,  I  could  not  tell  him  ;  that  was  my  secret. 
But  I  regretted  keenly  that  I  had  so  long  delayed 
letting  Frau  Roden  know  my  plans  and  desires. 
She  would  say  to  me  often  :  "  In  the  winter, 
Helena,  we  will  finish  that  large  rug  I  began  for 
Fritz;"  or,  "  Helena,  you  will  have  to  be  diligent 
for  me  when  the  winter  comes  ;  my  eyes  are 
troubling  me  a  great  deal ;"  or,  "Dear  child,  you 
must  learn  to  play  whist ;  it  will  be  a  change  for 
you  in  the  long  winter  evenings,  and  help  amuse 
the  invalid,  too." 

Then  my  tongue  would  cleave  to  the  roof  of 
my  mouth,  and  I  could  not  utter  a  syllable.  And 
so  the  weeks  had  slipped  by  and  nothing  had 
been  decided  upon — only  I  felt  I  could  not 
remain. 

I  could  not  conceal  from  myself  that  I  was 
feverishly  excited  to-day — was  afraid  of  this 
meeting.  Day  and  night  had  I  thought  of  him, 
and  since  the  hour  when  his  mother  had  said, 
weeping,  "  Helena,  what  shall  become  of  us  ?  " 
my  thoughts  had  become  rebellious,  and  I  could 
uot  control  them  ;  but  ever  and  anon  a  voice 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          243 

would  whisper  warningly  in  my  ear  :  "  You  poor 
thing,  have  you  forgotten  that  you  are  only  the 
beautiful  Lotta's  sister?" 

No,  no :  I  would  be  rational.  He  was  a 
friend,  a  brother,  an  invalid,  sick  in  body  and 
soul,  for  his  heart  would  never  recover  from  the 
blow  Lotta  had  given  it. 

I  sat  a  long  time  at  the  window,  in  the  twi- 
light, thinking  and  planning  and  dreaming.  The 
moon  rose  over  the  castle,  and  the  chestnuts  cast 
their  long  shadows  upon  our  court  beneath.  At 
last  I  heard  the  rumbling  of  carriage  wheels,  and 
the  steady,  slow  tread  of  the  horses. 

I  started  downstairs  to  meet  them,  but  my 
limbs  trembled,  and  I  was  pale  and  nervous  when 
I  joined  the  household,  already  assembled  at  the 
door  to  greet  their  dear  master. 

The  carriage  came  slowly  into  the  court  and 
up  to  the  broad  steps.  The  coachman  made  a 
motion  with  his  hand  as  if  to  say  : 

"  No  noise  !  We  are  not  well  enough  yet  for 
any  loud  expressions  of  joy." 

I  hurried  down  the  steps  to  the  carriage  door. 

"  Fritz,"  I  heard  his  mother  say,  "  here  we  are  j 
and  there  is  Helena." 

Then  a  voice  spoke  : 

"  Good-day,  Fraulein  Helena  !  " 

It  was  Herr  Muller,  who  had  just  sprung  from 


244  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

the  carriage,  as  Jurgen  got  down  from  the  box, 
and  they  both  came  to  the  carriage  door.  Frau 
Roden  got  out  at  once.  I  could  not  see  her 
countenance,  but  she  pressed  my  hand  hard. 

"  Be  very  careful,"  she  begged  ;  and  now  they 
lifted  him  out. 

He  was  so  thin  and  ghastly  looking  I  stood 
back  alarmed  and  frightened. 

"  Hush  !  Don't  appear  to  notice  any  change," 
she  whispered  ;  "we  must  be  careful." 

Could  this  be  the  strong,  handsome  man  that 
had  gone  away  scarcely  three  months  ago,  so 
full  of  life  and  strength  ? 

They  carried  him  in  like  a  child,  and  when  the 
bright  light  fell  upon  him  I  could  hardly  realize 
that  the  deeply  sunken  eyes  and  emaciated  face 
belonged  to  the  Fritz  Roden  whom  I  had  known. 

"  Get  me  to  bed,  mother,"  I  heard  him  whisper; 
"  when  I  am  lying  down  I  may  feel  able  to  see 
my  people." 

All  was  silent  in  the  large  hall.  The  wreaths 
and  greens  seemed  to  hang  in  bitter  irony  over 
the  doors,  and  the  table  laden  with  good  things, 
which  stood  ready  as  if  for  a  festival,  was  like  a 
cruel  jest. 

"  Run  at  once  for  Doctor  Rother,"  ordered 
the  mistress,  "  he  should  have  been  here  sooner." 

Then  she  disappeared  in  the  "sick-room. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          245 

"  The  Saviour  have  mercy,"  whispered  Mam- 
sell  as  the  tears  ran  down  her  heavy  red  cheeks. 

The  people  all  went  back  to  their  own  quarters 
with  sad  faces  and  eyes  downcast,  and  I  stood 
alone  in  the  festal  room. 

Soon  Fran  Roden  came  out  of  her  son's  room 
followed  by  Jurgen,  who  went  directly  to  the 
kitchen.  "  Helena,"  she  whispered,  coming  close 
to  me,  "  are  you  resolved  to  go  back  to  Berlin  as 
a  nurse  ? " 

I  looked  at  her,  frightened  at  her  question. 

"  I  know  all  about  it,  Helena,  though  I  have 
said  nothing  to  you.  If  it  does  not  cost  you 
too  great  a  sacrifice,  there  in  that  room  is  an 
invalid,  and  the  work  you  seek  lies  close  at 
hand." 

I  could  say  nothing,  but  put  my  hand  in  hers. 

"  God  will  reward  you,"  she  said,  "  that  you 
do  not  forsake  me  now  !  " 

I  went  up  to  my  room  and  put  on  an  apron 
and  noiseless  slippers,  and  came  back  as  quickly 
as  possible. 

She  was  going  through  the  hall  with  a  pitcher 
of  water  and  a  roll  of  linen  in  her  hand. 

"  I  am  ready  to  take  my  place  at  once,"  was 
all  I  said. 

She  handed  me  what  she  carried  without  a 
word,  "  Now  come,  my  child," 


246  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

Softly  we  went  into  the  room  and  up  to  his 
bed  ;  his  eyes  were  closed  and  he  looked  terri- 
bly exhausted  ;  the  wounded  arm  lay  upon  the 
cover.  The  bandages  had  become  loosened  by 
the  long  journey  ;  I  began  gently  to  unwind 
them.  As  I  did  so  he  opened  his  eyes  and 
looked  at  me,  and  a  pleasant  smile  crossed  his 
wan  face. 

"Ah,  it  is  you,  Fraulein  Helena?"  he  said 
cordially  ;  "you  are  going  to  do  it  ?  " 

As  he  spoke  he  offered  me  his  well  hand. 

"  It  seems  worse  than  it  really  is  ;  I  am  weak 
from  my  journey.  How  good  it  is  to  be  home 
again  !  " 

"  Yes,  my  own  dear  boy,"  said  his  mother, 
"  now  we  will  soon  nurse  you  back  to  health, 
but  do  not  talk  so  much." 

When  Doctor  Rother  visited  him,  I  received 
my  first  instructions  in  nursing  the  wounded. 

"  Care,  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  and  good  diet," 
said  the  friendly  old  man.  "  Hold  the  arm  this 
way — that's  right — we  are  very  fortunate  to 
secure  the  services  of  a  young  woman  with  such 
soft,  white  hands — do  you  know  that,  lady  ?  " 

"  You  seem  to  understand  it,  too,  doctor," 
Fritz  responded  in  a  bantering  tone. 

"  Yes,  yes,  that  I  do  !  Now,  you  must  be 
quiet,  and  with  good  things  to  eat,  and  fresh  ail 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          247 

and  patience,  we'll  have  you  on  your  legs  before 
you  know  it.  And,  my  dear  young  Fraulein, 
diet's  the  thing." 

He  patted  the  sick  man  on  the  face  as  though 
he  were  a  child,  and  then  left  the  room  to  get 
something  to  eat.  Frau  Roden  was  delighted  to 
think  all  her  preparations  had  not  been  in  vain. 

I  accompanied  the  old  man  to  the  table  where 
Miiller  was  already  seated.  "  Now  give  us  your 
company,  Fraulein,"  he  said,  as  he  poured  out  a 
glass  of  red  wine. 

"  Doctor,"'!  asked,  "  is  he  very  ill  ?  " 

"  Pretty  bad — he's  frightfully  weak.  But  we'll 
be  able  to  bring  him  around." 

"  We  have  nothing  to  fear  ?  " 

"Fear?  fear?  If  I  get  a  splinter  in  my  hand  I 
have  something  to  fear.  But  don't  get  alarmed, 
little  Fraulein, — see  how  beautifully  the  chicken 
is  browned."  And  the  good  man  set  bravely  to 
work  to  dispose  of  the  viands  that  were  placed 
before  him  ;  and  soon  he  and  Miiller  were  talk- 
ing of  the  campaign,  and  Miiller  was  relating 
some  of  the  horrors  of  the  hospital. 

When  the  doctor  finally  looked  at  his  watch, 
he  rose  hurriedly,  and  as  he  put  on  his  hat  and 
coat,  he  whispered  to  me  :  "  He  will  have  fever, 
Fraulein  von  Werthern,  but  do  not  allow  his 
mother  to  become  anxious  or  excited;  the  wound 


248  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

has  become  inflamed  by  the  long  journey.  I{ 
he  is  greatly  distressed,  put  cracked  ice  on  his 
head  ;  there's  plenty  of  it  in  the  cellar,  I  have  no 
doubt.  I'll  be  here  early  in  the  morning." 

"  Has  the  journey  injured  him  greatly  ?  "  I 
asked  anxiously. 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  impatiently. 

"  Dear  child,  it  is  a  great  damage,  but  a  long 
journey  by  rail  is  never  an  advantage  to  any  one. 
It  is  a  thousand  times  better  for  him  to  lie  here 
than  in  a  crowded  fever-fraught  room  in  the 
hospital.  Hold  your  head  up  and  be  cheerful, 
or  I  cannot  make  use  of  you  for  a  nurse." 

No,  I  had  little  time  for  brooding  ;  there  came 
hard  days,  and  long,  anxious  nights  ;  there  were 
hours  in  which  the  invalid  suffered  fearful  pain  : 
times  when  all  clear  consciousness  left  him,  and 
he  would  call  "  Lotta  !  Lotta  !  "  over  and  over 
again,  and  my  hands  would  tremble  as  I  put  the 
fresh,  cold  cloths  on  his  brow. 

"  It  is  not  alone  the  wound,"  the  old  doctor 
said  ;  "  it  is  the  after  effects  of  the  excitement 
and  the  marches  ;  they  all  work  together." 

During  these  first  weeks  I  did  not  see  Lotta;  I 
only  knew  that  she  had  not  gone  to  Berlin,  and 
that  she  took  her  walks  and  drives  as  usual. 

The  3oth  of  October  was  a  genuine  autumn 
day.  The  wind  drove  the  dead  leaves  against 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race .          249 

the  \vindo\v  panes,  and  now  and  then  came  a 
shower,  reminding  one  of  April.  In  the  sick- 
room the  fire  had  been  started  for  the  first  time, 
and  the  flames  roared  merrily  in  the  white  porce- 
lain stove,  as  though  they  rejoiced  in  the  favor 
shown  them  by  man. 

In  spite  of  the  black  clouds  which  were  chasing 
each  other  across  the  sky,  all  \vas  bright  within. 

Fritz  had  for  the  first  time  asserted  his  man- 
hood again,  and  declared  he  must  know  what 
was  in  the  newspapers. 

"You  cannot  do  it,  dear  mother;  you  strain 
both  eyes  and  voice;  but  Fraulein  Helena" — he 
turned  his  head  toward  me  and  looked  at  me. 

"  I  bother  you  too  much,  do  I  not  ? "  He 
held  out  the  well  hand  and  pressed  mine  warmly. 
"But  I  must  know  if  we  are  at  Paris  yet." 

I  ran  quickly  to  the  living-room  to  fetch  the 
newspaper  and  a  lamp,  and  caught  myself  sing- 
ing softly  as  I  went.  Glancing  a  moment  through 
the  window  my  eye  rested  on  the  castle,  and  I 
remembered  that  I  had  intended  to  run  across  to 
Lotta  for  a  few  moments  that  day,  but  I  could 
do  that  after  dinner. 

Taking  up  the  paper  I  passed  out  into  the  hall. 
The  cellar  doors  stood  open,  and  the  maids  were 
carrying  down  great  baskets  of  splendid  winter 
apples,  and  the  odor  of  the  fruit  filled  the  house 


250  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

Just  at  that  moment  the  bell  rang  loudly  and 
the  hall  door  was"  flung  open  violently  ;  Anita 
rushed  in,  pale  and  terror-stricken. 

"  Is  she  here  ?  "  she  cried. 

"  Who  ?     My  sister  ?  " 

"  Yes,  the  countess  ;  I  saw  her  running  in  this 
direction." 

"  No,"  I  said  in  alarm. 

"  Then  she's  in  the  garden  or  in  your  old 
rooms,"  and  the  woman  hurried  out  again. 

I  threw  the  newspaper  on  the  floor,  and  rushed' 
out  after  her.  1  overtook  her  at  the  garder 
gate,  which  was  wide  open. 

"  Anita,  for  God's  sake,   what  is  it  ?  "  I  ex 
claimed. 

"  She  must  have  received  bad  news  ;  she  wai 
almost  distracted,  and  I  fear  she  may  do  some- 
thing desperate.  Fraulein,  that's  the  river  Rote 
flowing  down  there." 

I  flew  forward  like  an  arrow.  "  Lotta  !  Lotta  !  " 
I  cried,  but  the  rushing  of  the  wind  through  the 
tree-tops  drowned  my  voice,  and  in  my  ears  rang 
the  ominous  words,  "  one  leap  from  the  bridge." 
"  Oh,  Lotta,  Lotta  !  not  that,  not  that !  " 

"  Lotta  !  Lotta  !  "  My  terror  was  so  great,  I 
hardly  know  whether  my  voice  sounded  at  all 
through  the  lonely  woods.  At  last  I  saw  her 
kneeling  on  the  river's  very  edge,  with  one  hand 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  251 

thrown  across  the  dead  branch  of  an  old  tree 
which  overhung  the  water.  "  Lotta,  what — what 
are  you  doing  ?  "  I  cried  as  I  ran  to  her.  She 
turned  her  head  toward  me,  and  it  was  yet  light 
enough  for  me  to  see  that  her  face  was  deathly 
white,  and  that  her  eyes  burned  with  a  wild, 
excited  light. 

"  I  ? — nothing  !  It  is  so  hard  !  "  she  mur- 
mured, and  threw  herself,  with  a  gesture  of  de- 
spair, on  the  ground  at  my  feet. 

"  Come,"  I  said,  as  I  bent  over  her,  "  come, 
Lotta,"  and  I  held  out  my  hands  to  assist  her  to 
rise. 

She  said  no  word,  but  rose  and  walked  by  my 
side  for  a  short  distance. 

"  Where  are  you  going,  Lotta  ?  " 

"To  our  old  rooms." 

"  Not  there  by  yourself,  Lotta  ?  " 

"  I  will  not  go  back  to  the  castle."  And  she 
withdrew  her  arm  from  mine. 

"  No,  Lotta ;  come  with  me  to  my  room,  the 
little  one  we  occupied  together,  you  know,  the 
first  night  we  came  to  Rotenberg.  Over  there  it 
is  so  cold,  and  everything  is  musty  and  in  dis- 
order. Come ! " 

She  followed  me  like  a  child. 

As  we  entered  the  court  I  saw  Anita  standing 
among  the  trees,  waiting  to  see  what  her  mistress 


252  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

would  do.  When  she  saw  that  Lotta  would  go 
with  me,  she  turned  toward  the  castle,  without 
letting  Lotta  perceive  that  she  had  been  watch- 
ing her.  Lotta  followed  me  into  that  house, 
across  whose  threshold  she  had  never  set  foot 
since  she  had  broken  her  faith  with  ics  master. 

She  evidently  had  no  thought  about  that  now, 
but  followed  me  up  the  stairs  with  slow,  weary 
tread,  and  into  he  little  room  which  contained 
many  home  trifles  which  had  been  familiar  to  us 
from  our  childhood. 

"  Now  sit  down,  Lotta,  or  rest  on  the  bed,  and. 
tell  me  what  has  happened, — what  bad  news  you 
have  had."  As  I  spoke,  she  threw  herself,  with 
a  cry  of  despair,  upon  the  floor,  and  flung  her 
hands  upon  her  head  as  if  her  thoughts  almost 
drove  her  mad.  It  was  not  possible  to  restrain 
her.  "  If  Hans  were  only  alive,"  she  moaned. 
"  If  my  brother  were  only  alive  this  day  !  -" 

How  little  she  had  thought  of  Hans  lately,  I 
tried  not  to  remember.  I  called  Frau  Roden  to 
help  me,  and  at  last  we  got  my  poor  distracted 
Lotta  into  bed,  where  she  lay  passive,  but  looking 
more  like  a  corpse  than  a  living  being. 

Frau  Roden  whispered  : 
.  "  Helena,  what  has  happened  ?  " 

I  could  not  tell  her,  for  I  did  not  know  myself. 
At  last  Lotta  handed  me  the  crumpled  letter 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          253 

which    she  still    held,    as  answer  to    my    many 
questions.     It  was  from  the  prince. 

With  burning  eyes  I  read  his  words;  passion- 
ate, tender  ones  they  were,  assurances  of  undy- 
ing love,  and  at  the  last  the  words  : 

"  My  parents  seem  to  have  been  in  a  diabolical  haste 
to  get  me  to  marry  a  girl  suitable  to  my  station  ;  the 
widow  of  my  brother  will  not  run  away,  so  I  will  not  let 
them  rob  me  of  my  life's  happiness  yet  awhile. — We  will 
discuss  this  affair  when  we  meet.  I  think  in  the  mean 
time  we  will  not  spoil  our  charming  correspondence  with 
such  vexatious  matters." 

The  letters  danced  before  my  eyes,  and  I  read 
the  next  few  words  : 

"  Only  external  barriers — for  we  will  never  part." 

Poor  Lotta  !     Now  I  understood  her  despair. 

"  Poor  Lotta  !  "  I  bent  over  her,  laid  my 
hand  on  the  brow  that  was  now  so  hot  and 
feverish. 

"  Have  I  deserved  it  ?  "  And  she  pulled  her 
wedding-ring  off  violently  and  threw  it  across 
the  room,  as  though  he  stood  before  her  and 
she  meant  to  dash  it  at  his  feet.  "  Wed  your 
new  bride  with  that  ring !  "  she  shrieked,  as 
she  raised  herself  in  bed,  "  but  don't  think  my 
eyes  will  ever  rest  on  you  again  !  "  She  sat, 
trembling  with  anger,  and  burning  with  fever 


254  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 

I  could  do  nothing.  The  doctor  must  be  sent 
for  immediately. 

"  What  is  it,  doctor  ?  "  whispered  Frau  Roden 
anxiously.  . 

He  answered  with  a  quieting  word,  wrote  his 
prescription,  and  shrugged  his  shoulders.  After 
a  while  I  ventured  to  say  : 

"  Will  she  get  worse,  dear  doctor  ?  " 

"  We  may  expect  it,"  he  answered,  in  his  crisp 
way,  as  he  went  out. 

She  was  wildly  delirious,  but  as  the  medicine 
began  to  have  its  effect  she  became  quieter.  She 
was  in  the  garden — in  the  moonlight — walking 
with  her  husband,  and  listening  to  the  nightin- 
gales. "  Otto,"  she  said,  "  it  seems  like  heaven." 
Then  she  chatted  about  her  bridal  wreath,  about 
their  separation,  and  begged  him  to  come  back 
soon.  After  a  time  her  mood  changed  : 

"  Hans,  avenge  me !  Shoot  him  dead, 
dead  !  " 

Her  delirium  continued  until  the  gray  morning, 
when  she  fell  into  a  quiet  sleep.  I  threw  myself 
on  the  sofa  in  the  little  sitting-room,  and  thought 
it  all  over ;  I  had  expected  it*had  felt  assured 
that  Lotta's  days  of  happiness  ^nd  ignorance 
were  numbered,  and  yet  the  certainty  was  a  ter- 
rible shock.  I  fell  into  an  uneasy  slumber,  and 
wakened  to  find  the  sun  shining  brightly  into  my 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          255 

room,  and  before  me  at  the  table  stood — Lotta. 
She  looked  frightfully  pale,  her  hair  and  dress 
were  in  disorder,  and  her  face  wore  a  singular 
expression. 

"  How  do  you  feel,  Lotta  ?  Why  did  you  not 
remain  in  bed  ?  " 

"I  am  not  tired  now,"  she  answered  listlessly, 
"only  cold." 

I  made  her  lie  down  on  the  sofa,  and  covered 
her,  and  put  fresh  wood  in  the  stove  ;  then  I 
brought  hei  a  cup  of  hot  coffee.  She  drank  it, 
and  sat  back  in  a  corner  of  the  sofa,  regardless  of 
what  \vas  going  on  about  her. 

I  got  my  brushes,  and  tried  to  arrange  her 
hair  ;  she  was  lost  in  thought,  and  I  trembled 
as  I  caught  a  glance  of  her  eyes,  it  was  so  dark 
and  sinister.  I  did  not  try  to  look  into  them 
again,  and  I  ceased  speaking,  for  she  did  not 
hear  me,  and  no  reply  came  from  those  colorless 
lips.  At  mid-day  she  was  still  sitting  in  the 
same  place.  When  the  physician  came  in  she 
dismissed  him.  "  She  was  quite  well,"  she 
said. 

Frau  Roden  received  no  more  attention  than 
I,  and  her  questions  to  Lotta  went  unansweredj 
also.  We  stood  at  my  chamber  door  and  whis- 
pered together. 

"  Let  her  alone  ;  it  is  the  crisis,"  she  said,  "  and 


256  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

come  down  to  Fritz  for  a  while  ;  I  had  hoped  to 
keep  all  this  from  him,  but  the  doctor  took  it 
for  granted  he  knew  all  about  it,  so  spoke  out,  as 
he  always  does — but  come,  he  is  very  uneasy  and 
disturbed  to-day." 

"  If  I  only  knew  what  to  do,"  I  said. 

"  His  arm  is  not  well  yet,  remember,  Helena  ; 
but — Fritz  must  be  discreet,"  and  she  sighed 
deeply. 

I  went  down  to  his  room,  where  he  lay  on  the 
sofa,  to  which  he  was  removed  for  a  part  of 
each  day  now.  Books  and  papers  were  scat- 
tered around,  but  he  had  not  attempted  to  read. 
Perhaps  it  was  only  my  idea,  but  I  thought  his 
"  good-day  "  had  an  abrupt,  cold  sound,  and  he 
glanced  at  the  clock,  which  stood  on  the  table 
near  his  couch. 

It  was  three  o'clock. 

"  Have  you  no  time  for  me  ? "  he  grumbled, 
as  I  sat  down  by  the  window  and  took  up  one  of 
the  papers  to  read  aloud  to  him. 

I  looked  at  him  rather  surprised ;  his  face  was 
red,  and  he  was  nervously  biting  at  his  blonde 
beard. 

"  Yes,  I  have  time." 

"  Really  ? " 

The  word  had  a  comical  sound,  but  an  anxious 
one,  too, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  257 

"  Really  ?  No,  you  need  not  read  ;  I  am  too 
nervous,  too  restless  to  listen." 

I  put  down  the  paper  and  looked  out  of  the 
window.  What  was  I  to  do  ?  Here  was  sitting 
Lotta's  sister,  while  overhead  was  Lotta  herself, 
whom  he  could  never  forget — ill,  and  broken- 
hearted and  forsaken. 

"  I  pray  you,  Fraulein  von  Werthern,"  he  said, 
after  a  moment,  "  do  not  remain  here  on  my  ac- 
count ;  you  are  surely  more  needed  elsewhere." 

I  rose  at  once. 

"  I  am  going  now  ;  your  mother  sent  me  here 
because,  she  said,  Lotta  needed  quiet,  and  you 
amusement.  I  will  neither  forget  nor  neglect 
my  duty  toward  Lotta." 

I  threw  the  paper  on  the  table  and  hurried 
from  the  room,  for  the  hot  tears  had  forced 
themselves  into  my  eyes.  I  understood  it  all: 
his  anxiety  for  Lotta,  his  fear  that  she  was  being 
neglected,  had  overpowered  him.  I  felt — I  knew 
it  would  always  be  so. 

Toward  evening  Lotta  spoke. 

"  Helena,  can  I  have  some  writing  paper  ? " 

I  hastened  to  bring  my  portfolio,  and  lit  a 
lamp  for  her.  She  sat  down  at  the  table,  but 
her  hands  trembled,  and  she  left  great  blots  on 
the  sheet  as  she  wrote.  The  letter  was  short, 
and  was  soon  finished. 
17 


258  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Helena,  I  want  you  to  post  that  yourself. 
I  want  it  to  go  at  once." 

I  took  it  and  hurried  off  with  it ;  it  was  to  the 
prince. 

As  I  returned  I  met  Anita  at  the  door ;  she 
carried  a  letter  and  a  despatch  in  her  hand. 

"  These  letters  are  for  the  countess  ;  will  you 
kindly  deliver  them  for  me  ?  " 

"  From  the  prince,  Anita  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  she  answered,  as  she  turned  away. 

As  I  entered  my  room  Lotta  was  pacing  ex- 
citedly up  and  down  the  room,  with  a  set  expres- 
sion around  her  mouth. 

"  That  creature  has  been  impertinent  enough 
to  make  me  feel  that  " — she  stood  before  me  with 
her  hands  clenched,  as  if  I  had  interrupted  her 
speech. 

"  Who,  Lotta  ?     Whom  do  you  mean  ?  " 

"  Anita  I  mean — whom  else  ?  I  have  sent 
word  for  her  to  bring  me  several  things,  and  she 
is  too  long."  And  she  began  again  her  excited 
walk. 

I  lit  the  lamp  and  drew  the  curtains  without 
speaking. 

"  It  is  suffocating  here,"  said  Lotta  impatiently, 
and  pushed  the  door  into  the  sleeping-room  open 
with  her  foot.  "  These  rooms  are  as  confined  as 
prisons  ;  one  cannot  breathe." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          259 

Some  one  knocked  at  the  door,  and  on  open- 
ing it,  I  found  Anita  with  a  small  willow  ham- 
per in  her  hand,  covered  with  a  cloth.  I  set  it  on 
the  table.  Lotta  threw  aside  the  cover  hastily. 

"  What  did  you  bring  these  things  for  ?  "  she 
said  angrily,  throwing  back  some  of  her  recently 
acquired  possessions.  "  Do  you  think  that  I  am 
a  beggar  ?  Here  !  " 

She  picked  up  a  morocco  case,  which  had  a 
monogram  upon  it  in  gold,  and  opening  it,  flung 
one  jewel  after  another  at  Anita's  feet,  with  the 
excited  exclamation,  "  Here  !  "  as  each  piece 
was  thrown.  Then  she  opened  a  well-filled 
purse,  and  threw  the  gold  pieces  at  her.  Some 
of  them,  well  aimed,  struck  the  head  of  the 
patient  woman,  and  all  rolled  over  the  floor  of 
our  little  room. 

"What  did  I  tell  you  ?"  she  cried.  "I  said 
my  letters !  How  dare  you  come  here  with 
this  plunder  ?  You  can  gather  it  up  and  take 
it  back  where  you  found  it ;  I  will  have  none 
of  it."  And  she  spitefully  kicked  a  bracelet 
that  she  had  thrown  in  a  corner. 

We  stood  speechless. 

She  had  by  this  time  gotten  hold  of  her  letter- 
box, and,  hastily  unlocking  it,  sat  down  before 
the  fire,  watching  the  letters  blaze  as  she  put 
them  in  one  by  one. 


260  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Foi;  God's  sake,  countess,  do  not  burn  those 
letters,"  cried  Anita,  pale  and  trembling,  as  she 
went  to  her  side  ;  "  do  not  destroy  them,  destroy 
nothing.  Every  word  the  prince  has  written  you 
will  avail  you  now  ;  they  will  be  your  witnesses 
in  the  future." 

"  Go  !  "  ordered  Lotta  shortly. 

"Countess,  do  listen  to  reason,"  pleaded  the 
woman. 

"  Go  !  "  repeated  the  angry  wife,  in  a  louder 
tone,  as  she  sat  and  watched  her  hopes,  her  hap- 
piness, her  all,  burn  to  ashes. 

-Shaking  her  head,  Anita  turned,  gathered  to- 
gether the  gold  and  jewels,  and  silently  left  the 
room. 

Lotta  looked  at  one  letter ;  poor  girl,  she 
seemed  for  a  second  to  hesitate  ;  then  she  flung 
it  fiercely  after  the  others.  What  need  to  keep 
the  loving  words,  since  they  were  only  written, 
not  felt  ? 

I  could  not  bear  the  sight,  and  turned  and 
went  into  the  adjoining  room.  Soon  I  heard 
loud  laughter,  almost  a  shriek,  and  going  back,  I 
found  she  had  opened  a  satchel  and  taken  from 
it  the  myrtle  wreath — the  wedding  wreath.  She 
had  it  on  her  head,  and  laughed  long  and  loud — 
just  such  a  despairing  laugh  as  J  heard  Anitq 
give  at  times. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          261 

"  Lotta,  dear  Lotta  !  "  I  cried,  as  I  took  the 
wreath  from  her  head.  I  feared  her  reason  had 
left  her.  She  sank,  weak  and  exhausted,  on  the 
nearest  chair,  and  put  her  hands  over  her  face 
with  another  shriek  that  was  like  the  cry  of  a  lost 
soul. 

Trembling,  I  threw  the  wreath  back  in  the 
satchel  with  the  rose  wreath,  which  had  also  been 
preserved  ; — flowers  which  only  bloomed  for  a 
day,  but  the  thorns  were  still  sharp  enough  to 
pierce  a  human  heart. 

I  kneeled  down  by  her  and  put  my  arms 
around  her,  but  she  pushed  me  back.  "  Don't 
touch  me,  I  am  tired  to  death  !  " 

As  she  spoke,  she  rose  slowly  and  went  into 
the  sleeping-room.  I  followed  her,  and  she 
threw  herself  exhausted  on  the  bed.  She  lay 
as  quietly  as  if  she  were  dead,  and,  leaning 
over  her,  I  could  hear  her  regular  breathing, 
telling  me  that  rest  had  come,  for  a  time  at 
least. 

I  heard  a  low  knock  at  the  door,-  and  found 
Frau  Roden  waiting  outside.  I  put  my  finger  on 
my  lips  to  impose  silence  until  I  had  closed  the 
door. 

"  Child,"  she  whispered,  "  has   any  one  been 
laughing   loudly  up   here  ?     Fritz   said   he 
sure  he  heard  some  one  laughing." 


262  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  It  was  Lotta,"  I  answered  ;  "  her  nerves  are 
all  unstrung  ;  she  was  terribly  excited." 

"  If  she  would  only  sleep  or  cry." 

"  I  believe  she  has  fallen  asleep,"  I  answered  ; 
"she  is  exhausted." 

"  Cannot  you  give  us  a  few  moments  now  ? 
I  bandaged  Fritz's  arm,  but  he  was  not  very 
well  satisfied,  I  was  so  awkward.  It  is  so  bad, 
Helena,  when  one's  sight  fails." 

I  hastened  to  Fritz,  and  hoped  I  might  be  able 
to  straighten  his  bandages  a  little,  but  he  turned 
his  face  to  the  wall.  I  could  not  determine 
whether  he  was  suffering  or  impatient.  "  Fritz," 
I  began,  "  may  I  read  you  something  this  even- 
ing?" 

"Oh,  do  not  trouble  yourself." 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  do  it,  but  if  you  have 
other  thoughts — 

"  How  do  you  know  anything  about  my 
thoughts  ? "  he  answered  petulantly,  as  only  a 
sick  man  can. 

I  gave  no  answer.  His  voice  and  manner 
made  me  sad. 

"  Are  you  crying  ?  "  he  asked  sharply.  And, 
as  I  took  up  the  book  without  answering,  and 
began  reading,  I  felt  my  voice  tremble  at  the  first 
word.  He  gazed  at  me  attentively  for  a  moment, 
and  then  closed  his  eyes.  I  had  read  but  q 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          263 

short  time,  when  I  stopped  suddenly  ;  my  atten- 
tion was  arrested  by  the  sound  of  footsteps  pac- 
ing up  and  down  in  the  room  above.  She  had 
not  rested  after  all. 

"  Go  on  reading,"  said  Fritz. 

At  that  moment  the  steps  came  to  a  sudden 
stop,  and  I  rose  to  go  and  see  if  Lotta  wanted 
me,  but  Fritz  said  to  his  mother  : 

"  Go  and  see  if  anything  has  happened  !  And 
you  remain  here  ;  this  excitement  is  telling  on 
you,  Fraulein  von  Werthern.  ' 

It  was,  indeed  ;  but  I  hardly  felt  that  it  was 
possible  for  me  to  remain  there  quietly. 

"  Poor  child  !  "  he  said  softly,  and  gazed  up 
at  the  ceiling. 

Did  he  mean  Lotta  ? 

"  She  is  very  ill,"  I  answered.  After  a  while 
Frau  Roden  came  back.  "  Do  not  be  alarmed, 
Helena,"  she  said  quietly  ;  "  pain  soon  dies  out 
in  such  natures." 

"  Go  on  reading,"  said  Fritz,  as  if  he  had  not 
heard  his  mother.  But  I  could  read  no  more 
that  night  ;  my  head,  my  eyes,  my  heart  ached, 
and  I  could  not  trust  myself  to  start  again.  He 
took  the  book  from  me  with  an  impatient  move- 
ment and  began  reading  aloud,  but  after  a  few 
words  threw  it  down  again.  He  was  singularly 
unlike  himself  that  evening. 


264 


He  began  again,  a  minute  later,  reading  to 
himself,  however.  This  time  he  was  soon  so 
absorbed  in  his  book  that  I  thought  I  could 
slip  away  unperceived.  But  when  I  rose  softly 
he  put  the  book  down  and  looked  at  me. 

"  Where  are  you  going  ? " 

"  I  am  anxious  about  Lotta." 

He  did  not  answer,  but  a  dark  expression 
came  over  his  face,  and  he  turned  his  head 
away  sullenly. 


CHAPTER   XII. 

IT  was  a  time  of  severe  trial  for  me.  Lotta 
sank  into  a  distressing  apathy.  She  would  not 
dress,  nor  eat,  nor  sleep.  Every  effort  to  inspire 
her  with  new  energy  was  fruitless.  She  sat 
crouching  all  day  in  the  corner  of  the  sofa, 
dressed  in  her  morning  wrapper,  her  hair  caught 
up  in  a  simple  knot,  her  arms  folded,  and  her 
eyes  fixed  on  a  single  spot. 

I  pleaded  with  her ;  I  scolded  her ;  she 
scarcely  noticed  me.  Frau  Roden  remonstrated 
earnestly  with  her ;  she  never  moved  a  feature. 
Only  once  was  she  aroused  from  this  condition, 
and  that  was  on  receipt  of  a  letter  from  the 
prince.  With  trembling  hand  she  wrote  upon 
the  cover  that  the  person  addressed  would 
receive  no  letters.  She  noted  the  same  reply 
upon  a  letter  written  her  by  the  lord  chamber- 
lain. 

Nine  days  passed  in  this  way  without  change. 
And  this  in  a  house  to  which  she  had  brought 
ingratitude  and  infidelity,  but  she  never  thought 
of  that ;  and  what  did  she  think  of  during  that 


266  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

time  ?  She  was  coining  a  terrible  design — I 
learned  what  it  was  later. 

Downstairs  I  never  heard  a  word  against 
Lotta.  If  ever  the  biblical  admonition  :  "  Do 
good  to  them  who  despitefully  use  you,"  was 
conscientiously  followed,  it  was  in  that  old  man- 
sion house.  The  doctor  ordered  wine,  and  the 
best  the  cellar  afforded  stood  before  the  speech- 
less young  wife.  Frau  Roden  brought  flowers 
and  fruit,  and  placed  them  silently  before  her : 
no  word  of  thanks  acknowledged  the  kind  atten- 
tion. 

The  house  was  becoming  uncanny. 

And  with  all  this  the  door-bell  rang  constantly. 
Persons  who  for  weeks  and  months  had  not 
called,  now  came  to  inquire  after  the  condition 
of  the  "  patient"  with  a  zeal  which  made  me  blush 
with  shame,  and  brought  a  shrewd,  sarcastic 
smile  to  the  lips  of  Frau  Roden. 

Her  son  was  doing  quite  well,  she  answered 
coolly  and  politely  ;  but  not  a  syllable  about 
her  who  had  taken  refuge  under  her  roof,  no 
matter  how  bold  an  allusion  the  visitor  ventured. 
But  we  learned,  nevertheless,  how  great  the  ex- 
citement was  in  the  town. 

The  air  was  full  of  the  most  incredible  rumors. 
The  report  that  Lotta  had,  in  her  distress,  fallen 
at  the  feet  of  her  former  lover  and  besought  his 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          267 


pardon,  was  passed  from  lip  to  lip  with  a  thou- 
sand variations. 

I  went  about  as  if  on  burning  coals.  What 
should  we  do  now  ?  Lotta  could  not  remain 
longer  here — that  was  certain  ;  and,  in  her 
present  condition,  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  let 
her  go  alone.  I  must  go  with  her — but  where  ? 
And  how  were  we  to  live  ?  If  I  had  work  from 
early  till  late,  it  would  hardly  suffice  for  Lotta, 
and  we  had  not  a  penny. 

We  had  no  news  from  the  Court,  and  were 
ignorant  whether  the  divorce  proceedings  had 
begun  or  not. 

"Charlotte,"  I  began,  one  afternoon,  as  I  tried 
with  soft  words  to  persuade  her  to  take  a  cup  of 
coffee,  while  she  impatiently  pushed  away  the 
hand  in  which  I  held  the  beverage,  "Charlotte,  I 
must  talk  seriously  with  you  now.  We  cannot 
go  on  in  this  way  any  longer.  What  have  you 
resolved  upon  ?  What  answer  have  you  given 
the  lord  chamberlain  ?  You  must  see  that  we 
cannot  remain  any  longer  in  this  house.  Please 
tell  me  what  you  intend  to  do." 

She  looked  at  me  and  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  I  have  thrown  their  miserable  pension  in 
their  faces,"  she  answered  at  last. 

"  That  was  very  inconsiderate  of  you,  Char- 
lotte," I  said,  in  a  tone  of  reproof. 


268  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders  again,  and  said,  in 
a  listless  tone  : 

"  It  is  all  the  same  to  me." 

The  words  which  she  had  repeated  from  day 
to  day. 

In  despair,  I  ran  downstairs  into  the  sitting- 
room,  where  Fran  Roden  sat  at  the  window, 
knitting. 

"What  shall  we  do,  dear  Frau  Roden?"  I 
asked,  "  what  shall  we  do  ? " 

She  comprehended  my  question,  and  replied : 

"  Patience,  Helena  ;  she  is  ill  yet ;  she  is  one 
of  those  natures  who  never  rise  very  high  and 
cannot  fall  very  low.  Patience." 

"But  she  must  not  longer  be  a  burden  to 
you." 

She  stroked  my  face  with  her  hand. 

"  She  is  not  a  burden  to  me,  Helena.  I  have 
only  one  apprehension,"  and  her  eyes  turned 
with  a  troubled  look  toward  the  little  door  which 
led  into  her  son's  chamber.  "  I  am  afraid  he 
has  not  yet  quite  overcome,"  she  whispered, 
nodding  sorrowfully.  "  He  is  impatient,  and 
he  listens  to  every  step  overhead.  I  wanted  to 
change  his  quarters  and  bring  him  again  into  his 
old  room,  which  looks  out  on  the  court-yard  ; 
but  when  I  spoke  of  it,  he  became  more  excited 
than  I  ever  knew  him  to  be  before.  He  never 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  269 

asks  about  her,  Helena,  but  1  know  what  I 
know  ;  he  cannot  dissemble  before  me." 

I,  too,  saw  it  all  so  plainly.  If  I  could  only 
see  a  way  out  of  it  all. 

"  I  will  do  everything  in  my  power  to  per- 
suade Lotta  to  go  away,"  I  said;  "it  will  do  her 
good,  and  I " 

"  You,  Helena  ?  I  did  not  mean  you,"  inter- 
runted  the  old  lady.  "  And  where  would  you 
go  ?  No,  just  wait  until  Charlotte  is  better, 
until  the  divorce  affair  is  settled.  Do  not  be 
anxious ;  I  will  be  watchful.  Study  how  we 
can  make  my  boy  more  cheerful,  for  unless  we 
can  do  so  he  will  not  get  any  better." 

Days  passed  without  any  change  in  Lotta's 
condition.  The  November  storms  were  upon 
us,  and  the  dreary  weather  depressed  our  hearts 
still  further.  The  only  one  who  appeared  calm 
was  Fritz.  The  anxious  mother  assured  me  to 
the  contrary  ;  but  it  seemed  to  me  he  was  uni- 
formly content  when  I  bound  his  arm,  or  sat 
reading  aloud  at  his  bedside. 

We  had  laid  all  books  aside,  but  I  had  to  read 
a  great  deal  more  from  the  newspapers,  for  Metz 
and  Paris  were  now  the  objects  of  our  chief 
concern. 

One  afternoon,  as  I  was  about  to  leave  our 
room,  there  was  a  knock.  It  was  Anita,  with  a 


270  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

letter  for  Lotta.  I  did  not  wait  to  learn  its 
contents,  for  I  knew  that  I  was  expected  in  the 
sick-chamber  below.  The  coffee-urn  stood  on 
the  little  table,  and  the  Gazette  lay  close  by. 
Frau  Roden  sat  at  her  son's  side  and  held  his 
hand. 

"  Helena,"  she  exclaimed,  "  he  is  growing 
impatient ;  hurry  with  the  coffee  ;  it  does  not 
taste  right  unless  you  pour  it  out." 

We  were  soon  sitting  cosily  around  the  little 
table,  and  I  took  up  the  newspaper  and  began  to 
read. 

"  Some  one  is  walking  upstairs,"  interrupted 
Fritz. 

"  It  is  Anita,"  I  explained,  and  went  on  read- 
ing. We  forgot  everything  for  a  time,  until  Fritz 
at  last  exclaimed  : 

"  Heavens,  it  is  growing  dark  !  Do  not  read 
any  more,  Fraulein  von  Wcrthern  ;  you  must 
spare  your  eyes." 

We  talked  a  few  moments  over  what  we  had 
read,  and  then  Frau  Roden  left  the  room.  Fritz 
talked  on  in  his  quiet  way  ;  what  he  said  was 
clear  and  simple,  like  all  that  he  did  and  was. 
He  was  not  a  talkative  man,  but  that  evening  he 
seemed  disposed  to  continue  conversation,  and 
I  listened  with  deep  pleasure  to  his  earnest 
words.  Suddenly  he  ceased  speaking,  for  we 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          271 

heard  in  the  room  above  the  sound  of  a  piano. 
It  was  Lotta,  playing  ;  no  one  else  played  like 
that.  But  how  did  she  come  to  do  so  ?  Clear 
and  sweet  the  notes  floated  down  to  us.  It  was 
Chopin's  wonderful  funeral  march,  and  right  in 
the  midst  of  the  piece  she  broke  off  abruptly 
and  ran  into  a  mazurka. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ? "  I  said  to  myself, 
and  looked  furtively  at  Fritz.  He  lay  quite  still, 
and  listened. 

She  played  on  and  on,  and  the  music  sounded 
brighter  and  merrier,  as  if  she  had  at  last  awak- 
ened from  a  long  dream  of  pain. 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  '  said  Fritz  abruptly, 
"  I  have  read  '  Ekkehard  '  through  without  you. 
Will  you  be  angry  with  me  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  I  responded. 

"And  there  is  one  passage,  near  the  end  of 
the  volume — it  is  the  most  beautiful  in  the 
whole  book — so  simple,  so  moving  and  so  true  ; 
or  perhaps  I  think  so,  only  because  the  passage 
went  home  to  my  heart." 

The  music  had  come  to  an  end  as  suddenly  as 
it  had  begun.  I  heard  Lotta  moving  about  over- 
head, but  I  could  not  find  courage  to  go  up  and 
ask  what  the  playing  meant ;  neither  could  I  bring 
myself  to  ask  Fritz  Roden  what  the  passage  in 
"  Ekkehard  "  was  to  which  he  had  alluded, 


272  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


But  he  began,  without  waiting  for  me  to  answer 
him. 

"  Do  you  know,  Helena,  that  it  is  just  a  year 
ago  to-day  that  you  came  to  Rotenberg  ?  Just 
at  this  time  of  the  day,  too,  you  first  crossed  our 
threshold.  Have  you  thought  of  it  to-day  ?  I 
have  not  forgotten  it.  Did  I  not  speak,  that 
night,  of  roses  that  should  bloom  for  you  and 
yours  in  Rotenberg  ?  Do  you  remember  it  ? 
And  yet  instead  of  roses  came  thorns  ;  instead 
of  happiness,  came  disaster,  death,  sickness,  and 
other  things  sadder  still.  It  has  been  a  painful 
year  for  us  all ;  and  yet  I  would  not  wish  to 
have  escaped  the  wounds  which  it  has  brought 
me.  You  cannot  know,  Helena,  how  delicious 
it  is  to  get  well ;  for  one  who  has  never  been  sick, 
can  never  feel  the  joy  of  recovery.  You  think 
it  strange  that  I  should  speak  in  this  way.  I  am 
not  of  a  poetic  nature,  but  for  some  days  past  I 
have  felt  as  if  spring  had  entered  into  my  soul. 
I  have  hard  work  to  remain  here  on  the  sofa. 
I  would  like  to  get  out  into  the  fresh  air,  to  be 
with  my  regiment,  and  follow  the  victorious 
march  of  our  troops.  Yet  I  cannot  move  my 
arm,  and  am,  for  the  time  being,  a  cripple.  But 
the  longing  is  there.  Now,  then,  have  you  no 
word  for  me  ? " 

Ah — Lotta  !     He   loved   her   still ;    and    the 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,  273 


spring  which  shone  within  him  was  her  pro- 
spective liberty.  I  felt  again  as  I  did  on  that 
evening  when  he  said  to  me  :  "  Speak  to  your 
sister  for  me."  Poor  fool  that  I  was  ! 

"  Did  the  piano  playing  disturb  you  ?  "  asked 
Fran  Roden,  in  an  anxious  voice,  as  she  entered 
the  room  at  that  moment. 

"  Not  in  the  slightest,"  he  replied. 

"  If  it  does,  perhaps  it  would  be  better  for  you 
to  take  your  old  room  again  ?  " 

He  shook  his  head.  "  No  ;  it  is  so  delightful 
to  be  next  to  you — let  me  remain  here." 

And  as  I  rose  and  went  out  he  called  after 
me  :  "  I  beg  you  not  to  tell  the  countess  that 
we  can  hear  her  playing  so  distinctly,  for  it 
really  does  not  disturb  me  at  all." 

When  I  went  upstairs  Lotta  was  standing  at 
the  window  ;  she  turned  her  head  toward  me  as 
I  catered,  saying  : 

"  I  have  a  letter  from  the  lord  chamberlain. 
They  are  so  enormously  gracious  that  they  are 
willing  to  allow  me  time  for  reflection  as  to 
whether  I  will  accept  or  refuse  the  pension  ;  the 
money  is  at  my  command  any  moment.  The 
present  heir  apparent  has  himself  determined 
the  amount.  Until  the  expiration  of  this  period 
of  probation,  I  am  to  remain  here  in  Rotenberg. 
Everything  else  in  respect  to  the  divorce  will  be 


274          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


arranged  without  difficulty.  The  worthy  man 
gives  me  the  paternal  advice  to  regard  myself  as 
the  prince's  widow,  and  the  so-called  alimony  as 
his  legacy.  Very  kind  of  him." 

She  was  speaking  in  her  old,  scornful  tone. 

"  Lotta,"  I  said  firmly,  "  you  cannot  remain 
for  weeks  in  this  house  !  " 

She  shrugged  her  shoulders. 

"  And  you  must  have  money  to  rent  a  respect- 
able lodging,  until  you  can  get  your  affairs  in 
order." 

"  I  have  nothing,  for  I  will  accept  nothing 
from  yonder,"  and  she  made  a  gesture  toward 
the  castle.  "  Moreover,  we  must  have  some  of 
grandmother's  money  yet,"  she  added. 

"  Grandmother's  money  ?  "  I  cried  ;  "  you 
know  that  we  sold  her  earrings,  to  pay  back  to 
the  Rodens  the  sum  which  you  borrowed  for 
Hans." 

"  Then  I  don't  know  what  we  can  do,"  she 
declared,  and  turned  again  to  the  window.  "  Do 
as  you  please." 

"  I  will  speak  with  Frau  Roden,  Lotta." 

"  Pray  do,"  she  answered  indifferently. 

The  following  day  was  Sunday.  The  doctor 
had  given  Fritz  permission  to  leave  his  room  on 
that  day,  and  take  his  first  meal  with  us.  Frau 
Roden  walked  around  the  table  in  quiet  bliss, 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          275 

now  straightening  the  table-cloth,  now  filling  the 
vases  with  flowers,  now  looking  at  the  champagne 
glasses,  to  see  if  they  shone  properly.  The  doc- 
tor had  declared  the  sparkling  beverage  espe- 
cially good  for  convalescents. 

The  sun  shone  clear  and  bright.  It  was  a 
glorious  Sunday  morning.  When  all  was  done, 
the  old  lady  seated  herself  in  her  easy-chair,  by 
the  window,  to  watch  the  worshippers  come  home 
from  church.  I  drew  my  chair  to  her  side,  and 
began  to  talk  to  her  of  Lotta. 

"  What  do  you  want  to  do,  child  ?"  she  asked. 

I  explained  to  her  that  Lotta  could  not  leave 
Rotenberg  until  the  divorce  was  consummated, 
and  that  she  on  no  account  would  remain  in 
this  house  ;  and  so  I  was  thinking  if  it  would 
not  be  possible  for  Lotta  and  me  to  take  our 
old  lodgings  again,  and  for  me  to  give  piano 
lessons. 

"  What  do  you  want  to  move  for  ?  Why  can 
she  not  go  alone  ?  And  why  should  you  give 
music  lessons  ? "  asked  the  old  lady. 

"  I  cannot  let  Lotta  go  alone,  in  her  present 
temper." 

"  Let  her  take  Anita  with  her.  Do  you  intend 
to  be  a  Cinderella  all  your  life  for  her  ?  " 

"  Lotta  is  too  proud  to  accept  anything  from 
the  prince." 


276  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Too  proud,"  said  the  old  lady  fretfully, 
4<  she  is  his  lawful  wife  ;  and  although  this  mar- 
riage should  be  dissolved  from  considerations  of 
political  necessity,  nevertheless  it  is  his  duty  to 
secure  to  the  woman  an  independence,  and  that 
will  be  done.  I  know  the  duke  well  enough  to 
be  sure  that  he  will  do  what  is  right,  though  the 
alliance  had  been  a  hundred  times  more  dis- 
tasteful to  him  than  it  was.  Too  proud,  did  you 
say  ?  Ugh  !  " 

I  was  utterly  confused  ;  the  gentle  old  lady 
had  never  spoken  so  bitterly  before  ;  but  I  was 
relieved  from  the  necessity  of  answering,  for  just 
at  that  moment  the  door  opened  noiselessly,  and 
Fritz  entered  the  room. 

His  mother  flew  from  her  seat  to  meet  him. 
"  God  be  praised,  my  boy !  "  said  she,  as  she 
reached  up  to  kiss  him. 

"  God  be  praised,  indeed  !  "  he  replied,  look- 
ing with  evident  delight  around  the  pleasant  and 
sunny  room.  He  seated  himself  in  the  chair 
which  his  mother  had  just  vacated,  and  while 
she  stood  by  his  side,  lovingly  smoothing  his  hair, 
he  turned  to  me  and  said  : 

"  I  hear  that  you  want  to  move,  Friiulein  von 
Werthern.  That  I  would  never  permit.  Please 
say  to  your  sister,  in  my  name,  that  the  room  up- 
stairs is  at  her  disposal  as  long  as  she  has  need  of 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          277 

it.  To  us  it  will  be  a  pleasant  duty  to  afford  her 
this  asylum." 

Frau  Roden  turned  pale,  and  stared  at  her 
son  in  speechless  anxiety.  He  did  not  appear  to 
notice  her  distress  ;  but  taking  her  hand  in  his,  he 
asked  : 

"  We  were  always  cordial,  hospitable  people, 
were  we  not,  mother  dear  ?  and  we  shall  always 
be  so,  shall  we  not,  mother  ? "  he  added,  with 
somewhat  greater  emphasis. 

"You  are  the  master  of  the  house,"  she 
replied  apathetically,  and,  turning  away,  pre- 
tended to  occupy  herself  with  dusting  the  yellow 
hat  of  a  china  shepherdess  which  stood  on  a 
cabinet  behind  her,  but  I  saw  that  her  hand 
trembled. 

"  Are  you  agreed  ?  "  he  asked  of  me,  smiling 
as  he  spoke. 

"  I  have  nothing  to  say.  I  think  Lotta  is  the 
one  to  decide." 

"Certainly,"  he  rejoined  quietly;  "ask  your 
sister." 

I  let  him  send- me  away  like  a  child,  and  went 
upstairs  to  Lotta.  She  was  standing  before  the 
mirror  fastening  a  brooch  in  her  dress,  and  had 
just  completed  her  toilet.  It  seemed  to  me  she 
looked  more  beautiful  than  ever,  in  the  simple 
black  mourning  gown  which  she  had  worn  for 


278  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

our  father,  and  which  I  had  never  seen  on  her 
since  she  had  become  the  Countess  Kaltensee, 
until  now. 

Her  apparent  insensibility  to  her  situation 
angered  me.  I  sat  down  at  the  window  without 
saying  a  word,  while  she  added  the  finishing 
touches  to  her  toilet,  before  the  looking-glass. 

"What  makes  you  so  quiet,  Helena?"  she 
began,  at  last,  without  taking  her  eyes  from  the 
mirror.  "  Have  you  been  speaking  with  Frau 
Roden  ? " 

"Yes,  just  now,"  I  answered  with  difficulty. 

"  Well  ?  " 

"  Fritz  Roden  sends  his  respects,  and  places 
this  room  at  your  disposal,  as  long  as  you  are 
pleased  to  occupy  it." 

She  looked  at  me,  then,  and  under  her  long, 
dark  lashes  I  saw  the  flash  of  a  strange  fire  ;  but 
she  made  no  immediate  answer.  She  finished 
her  toilet  deliberately,  took  a  few  turns  up  and 
down  the  room,  and  stopping  directly  in  front  of 
me,  said  : 

"  I  will  gratefully  accept  his.kindness." 

Then,  with  a  passing  glance  at  the  mirror,  she 
gathered  up  her  train  and  left  the  room,  and  I 
heard  her  slowly  descending  the  stairs. 

A  feeling  of  terror  and  despair  overcame  me. 
I  hurried  into  my  own  room,  and  threw  myself 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.         '279 

on  my  knees  by  my  bed,  and  sobbed  like  a 
child. 

"  Why,  Helena,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ?  " 
said  a  gentle  voice  at  my  side,  and  Frau  Roden 
bent  over  me,  with  her  hand  on  my  shoulder, 
peering  anxiously  into  my  tear-stained  face.  I 
saw  by  her  eyes  that  she  had  been  weeping,  also 
— and  I  knew  why  ;  but  nevertheless  I  gave  an 
evasive  answer  in  reply  : 

"  I  was  thinking  of  Hans,  and  of  our  future," 
I  said. 

She  smiled,  as  if  to  say,  "  I  will  believe  it." 

"Come  downstairs,  child,"  was  all  she  said, 
"  and  let  no  traces  of  tears  be  visible  in  ,your 
face." 

And,  as  I  hastened  to  cool  my  burning  eyes 
with  cold  water,  she  continued  : 

"  I  was  still  standing  by  the  cabinet,  when  the 
door  opened  and  Charlotte  entered.  Child,  my 
heart  stood  still,  and  I  watched  his  countenance, 
to  see  how  he  would  bear  this  meeting.  He  rose 
and  bowed,  and  declared  his  gratification  to  see 
her  again  in  such  good  health  ;  he  looked  down 
at  her  as  composedly  as  if  they  had  only  parted 
the  day  before.  He  has  wonderful  command  of 
himself,  but  I  have  no  doubt  he  controlled  himself 
for  my  sake."  She  sighed  heavily.  "  He  is  of 
age,"  she  continued,  "  and  all  experience  teaches 


280  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

that  contradiction  and  difficulty  only  intensify 
the  heat  of  passion.  I  can  only  fold  my  hands 
and  look  on,  while  I  silently  pray  that  God  may 
show  him  the  right  way." 

Meanwhile,  Lotta  and  Fritz  Roden  were  sit- 
ting together  in  the  dining-room  ;  he  was  telling 
her  of  St.  Privat,  and  she  was  playing  with  the 
white  aster  which  she  had  taken  from  the  bowl 
of  flowers  on  the  table.  The  servant  had  just 
brought  in  the  soup,  and  we  gathered  around  the 
table.  Fritz,  as  usual,  said  grace,  but  I  did  the 
honors.  I  had  assumed  this  office  while  he  was 
in  the  army,  and  his  arm  was  not  yet  well  enough 
to  permit  him  to  supersede  me. 

It  was  a  painful  meal,  however  ;  we  ate  our  soup 
in  silence  ;  then  Fritz  took  up  the  bottle  of  claret, 
and  after  awkwardly  filling  his  glasses  with  his 
left  hand,  he  said,  with  forced  gayety  : 

"  A  true  German  cannot  abide  a  Frenchman, 
but  he  loves  to  drink  his  wine.  Let  us  drink 
to  the  health  of  our  troops  in  the  field ;  with 
gratitude  to  them  for  the  valor  with  which  they 
have  protected  hearth  and  home  from  foreign 
foes  and  war's  alarms,  and  secured  to  us  such 
hours  of  peace  as  we  enjoy  to-day." 

Lotta  responded  at  once  to  his  effort  to  revive 
our  spirits  : 

"  I    have   often   heard  grandmother  tell   how 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          281 

terrible  war  is.  Her  memory  of  the  year  1813 
was  as  fresh  as  if  it  were  but  yesterday." 

"Yes  ;  the  old  lady  loved  to  speak  of  those 
days,"  replied  Fritz  ;  "  would  that  she  could  have 
lived  to  see  Sedan  !  " 

"  Indeed  she  died  too  early,"  continued  Lotta, 
in  the  same  vein  ;  "  had  she  lived,  many  things 
would  now  be  different." 

She  sighed,  and  looked  sadly  and  dreamily  out 
of  the  window. 

She  seemed  to  make  the  sudden  death  of  our 
grandmother  responsible  for  her  ill-considered 
marriage.  Poor  grandmother,  who  died  of  grief 
over  her  conduct.  I  blushed  for  her. 

On  the  lips  of  Fritz  Roden  played  a  faint 
smile.  His  mother,  however,  remarked  coolly  : 

"  Such  remarks  are  often  made  after  the  event. 
My  dear  old  friend  was  a  weary,  broken-hearted 
woman  ;  she  had  no  power  to  hinder  what  was 
already  settled.  Or  have  I  not  understood  you 
correctly,  my  lady  ?  " 

Lotta  made  no  answer.  There  was  a  moment 
of  uncomfortable  silence,  but  Fritz  relieved  our 
embarrassment  by  promptly  changing  the  subject. 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  give  me  another 
ladle  of  soup,  please  ;  it  is  the  convalescent's  hun- 
ger, you  know  ;  don't  forget  what  I  told  you 
yesterday." 


^82  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

Yes,  I  remembered  what  he  had  said  ;  that  he 
was  well  in  body  and  soul,  and  that  the  joy  of 
spring-time  was  in  his  heart. 

Lotta  and  he  fell  to  talking  about  the  cam- 
paign again,  and  Frau  Roden  gradually  took  part 
in  the  conversation.  She  did  not  wish  to  let 
Fritz  perceive  her  apprehensions. 

After  dinner,  Lotta  and  I  retired  to  our  rooms  ; 
she  tripped  upstairs  with  a  light,  elastic  step, 
which  contrasted  singularly  with  the  slow  move- 
ment of  her  descent  an  hour  before. 

"  He  looks  remarkably  well,"  she  observed, 
throwing  herself  on  the  sofa,  and  covering  herself 
with  a  shawl ;  "  not  so  red  and  robust — but  he  has 
acquired  something  of  the  cavalier.  It  is  a  new 
trait,  an  effect  of  his  life  as  a  soldier.  I,  at  least, 
never  remarked  the  quality  in  him  before." 

"  You  never  have  understood  him,"  I  retorted 
bitterly. 

"  That  may  be.  I  never  gave  myself  the 
trouble,"  she  replied,  and  buried  herself  in  her 
book. 

I  took  my  cloak  and  hat,  and  went  out  for  a 
walk.  I  chose  a  lonely  path  through  the  woods. 
The  dry  leaves  crackled  under  my  feet,  the  cool 
autumn  wind  played  around  my  brow,  the  trees 
and  bushes  stood  sad  and  bare.  As  I  wandered 
aimlessly  on  I  sat  in  judgment  upon  myself,  and 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  283 

began  to  scrutinize  my  thoughts  and  feelings.  I 
told  myself  that  I  had  been  selfish,  and  altogether 
wanting  in  womanly  pride.  What  right  had  I  to 
weep,  when  in  the  man's  soul  the  wounds  from 
which  he  had  sorely  suffered  began  to  heal, 
when  the  old  hopes  bloomed  again  ?  I  became 
bitterly  ashamed  of  the  tears  which  I  had  shed 
in  the  morning  ;  and  when,  in  comfortable  self- 
exculpation,  I  said  to  myself  :  "  Lotta  certainly 
does  not  love  him,  and  he  will  be  unhappy  with 
her,"  I  was  equally  prompt  with  the  answer : 
"  Nothing  in  heaven  or  earth  can  alter  a  love 
like  Fritz  Roden's,  which  is  the  expression  of  his 
inmost  being,  steadfast,  enduring,  true.  Ah, 
Helena  !  you  will  remain  as  you  always  have 
been,  '  her  sister,'  and  you  will  not  become  bit- 
ter or  unjust  ;  but  you  must  become  proud,  very 
proud."  But,  alas  !  this  pride  gives  us  at  times 
unbearable  pain  ;  'tis  but  the  mantle  which  cloaks 
the  wound  from  the  eyes  of  the  world  ;  but  the 
mantle  presses  and  inflames  the  wound,  and  the 
heart  rises  in  revolt  when  the  lips  wear  a  smile, 
and  the  whole  soul  grows  ill  and  miserable.  And 
I  thought  of  the  hours  which  I  had  passed  at 
his  bedside,  chatting  and  reading  ;  thought  of 
the  words  of  his  mother,  which,  in  her  tender- 
ness for  me,  she  had  let  fall  ;  and  all  the  foolish 
thoughts  came  back  ;  and  I  saw  his  eyes,  as  they 


284  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

followed  me  about  the  sick-chamber,  $o  strangely 
and  so  constantly.  I  felt  that  my  pride  was  slip- 
ping from  me  again.  I  turned  to  retrace  my 
steps  through  the  dreary  woods,  over  which  the 
shadows  of  the  mountains  had  already  fallen. 
In  the  distance  before  me  lay  the  landscape  in 
the  full  light  of  the  setting  sun,  and  I  saw  it 
glisten  between  the  trunks  of  the  lofty  beeches, 
and  an  eager  longing  to  escape  took  possession 
of  my  soul ;  anywhere,  anywhere,  so  that  it  be  a 
spot  where  I  was  not  known,  where  I  might  throw 
aside  the  mask  it  was  crushing  me  to  wear  ;  but 
I  said  to  myself,  patience  ;  the  way  of  escape  will 
open  in  due  time. 

As  I  entered  the  house  it  was  already  dusk, 
and  I  heard  the  sound  of  Lotta's  playing.  There 
was  no  one  in  the  hall,  but  the  door  of  Fritz's 
room  was  ajar,  and  through  the  opening  came  a 
faint  ray  of  light.  He  is  listening  to  her  music, 
I  thought.  I  was  walking  softly  toward  the 
stairs  when  the  door  was  thrown  open  quickly, 
and  Fritz's  voice  said  impatiently  : 

"  Where  have  you  been  so  long,  Helena  ?  " 

"  In  the  woods,"  I  rejoined. 

"  What  nonsense  for  you  to  go  about  alone  in 
the  woods." 

I  laughed.  "  I  have  always  gone  alone  up  to 
this  time." 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  285 


"  But  you  must  not  do  it,"  he  cried  vehe- 
mently ;  "  you  are  too  young  to  be  tramping 
about  in  that  manner." 

"I — too  young!"  I  cried,  half  amused  and 
half  incensed.  I,  who  had  thought  myself  so  old. 
I  seemed  never  to  have  had  any  youth  ;  and  no 
one  had  ever  before  objected  to  my  going  about 
alone. 

"  Yes,  you,"  he  replied,  coming  out  into  the 
hall;  "mother  has  been  anxious  about  you  ;  do 
you  know  that  ?  " 

There  was  a  tone  of  irritation  in  his  voice. 

"  I  am  very  sorry  if  that  is  so,  but  my  lonely 
walk  has  done  me  a  world  of  good." 

"  Little  woman,"  cried  a  voice  from  within, 
"  none  but  headstrong  girls,  or  women  in  love, 
take  lonely  walks." 

It  was  the  doctor,  who  had  come  in  to  have 
half  an  hour's  chat  with  his  godchild. 

"Your  diagnosis  is  wrong,  doctor,"  I  an- 
swered merrily  ;  "  I  am  neither  obstinate  nor 
love-sick  ;  "  and  I  passed  up  the  stairs  with  a 
steady  tread.  I  felt  that  my  face  was  flaming 
red,  but  the  darkness  concealed  my  heightened 
color. 

Mamsell  put  her  head  out  of  the  door  as  I 
passed.  "  Oh,  but  the  master  was  angry  when 
you  could  not  be  found,  Fraulein  von  Werthern  ; 


286  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


his  paper  lay  on  the  table  unread,  and  the  coffee 
was  waiting." 

Yes,  sure  enough — his  paper  ! 

"  Back  again  ? "  said  Lotta,  and  continued 
her  playing. 

I  sat  down  quietly  at  the  sewing-table,  and 
tried  to  think  how  I  should  set  about  being 
proud.  I  had  a  humiliating  sense  of  defeat, 
before  I  had  fairly  begun  the  struggle.  What 
a  curious  whim  it  was  in  Fritz  that  he  should 
suddenly  show  so  much  concern  about  my  move- 
ments. 

The  days  brought  little  change  to  our  peace 
ful  household.  Lotta  played  the  piano,  and  I 
bandaged  Fritz's  arm,  and  read  him  his  paper, 
just  as  usual.  We  all  ate  together,  and  'twas 
only  natural  that  Lotta  should  gradually  come 
more  frequently  to  the  general  sitting-room  ;  for 
why  should  she  sit  upstairs  alone  ?  She  was 
more  reserved  than  formerly,  but  she  looked 
lovelier  than  ever,  with  her  beautiful  hair  in  a 
simple  coil  at  the  back  of  her  neck,  and  a  little, 
unpretentious  white  apron  tied  round  her  waist, 
as,  with  gentle  voice,  she  asked  her  hostess 
whether  she  could  not  be  of  assistance  in  some 
way.  She  appeared  so  broken  and  so  remorse- 
ful, but  her  changed  manner  made  no  impres- 
sion upon  the  sceptical  and  apprehensive  mother. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          287 

Frau  Roden  had  never  treated  Lotta  with  as 
much  courtesy  and  deference  as  during  these 
days. 

One  day,  when  the  servant  had  served  Frau 
Roden  with  soup  before  any  one  else,  the  old 
lady  broke  out  impatiently :  "  Rieke,  how  often 
have  I  told  you  that  the  countess  must  be  served 
first  ? "  and  she  took  the  plate,  and  placed  it 
before  my  sister  with  so  much  energy  that  resist- 
ance was  out  of  the  question. 

As  the  servant  left  the  room  Lotta  expostu- 
lated : 

"  My  dear  Frau  Roden,  I  beg  that  y^u  will 
spare  me  from  this  dreadful  title  of  countess  ; 
pray  call  me  Lotta  again." 

"  That,  my  dear  countess,  is  a  liberty  I  could 
never  permit  myself  to  take  ;  I  think  we  must 
both  sec  that  it  is  impossible." 

Lotta  turned  pale,  but  said  nothing,  and  Fritz 
began  talking  as  if  he  had  not  heard  a  syllable 
of  what  had  passed. 

The  holidays  were  approaching.  Snow  lay 
on  the  mountains  and  on  the  fields.  The  Ger- 
man army  was  moving  on  Paris  from  all  sides, 
and  the  iron  girdle  was  tightening  closer  and 
closer  about  the  unhappy  capital.  Fortunately, 
there  was  no  one  now,  in  whom  we  were  inter- 
ested, exposed  to  the  ice  and  cold  in  the  enemy's 


288  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

country.  The  son  of  the  house  was  at  home, 
nursing  his  wound  ;  our  Hans  was  sleeping  in  a 
soldier's  grave,  on  the  field  of  St.  Privat,  and 
Lotta's  husband  was  never  named  ;  whether  she 
still  thought  of  him,  and  what  she  thought,  I  was 
to  learn  later — by  accident. 

Late  one  afternoon,  just  as  the  postman 
handed  me  a  letter,  addressed  to  our  hostess, 
and  marked  with  the  stamp  of  our  army  in  the 
field,  Anita  came  in  and  asked  to  speak  to  me. 

1  led  her  into  Frau  Roden's  chamber,  for 
Lotta  was  upstairs. 

"  Wait  a  moment,  until  I  give  Frau  Roden 
this  letter,"  I  said,  and  hurried  into  the  sit- 
ting-room, where  mother  and  son  were  talking 
together,  in  the  gathering  darkness. 

"Who  is  it?"  cried  the  old  lady.  "Oh,  I 
know  the  step — it's  our  Helena." 

"  Yes,  it  is  I,  and  I  have  a  letter  here  for  you, 
a  letter  from  the  army." 

"  What  in  the  world  can  ic  be  ? "  she  asked, 
as  she  took  the  letter.  "  Helena,  ring  for  Rieke, 
to  light  the  lamp.  A  letter  from  the  army  to 
me  ?  Why,  I  don't  know  a  soul  at  the  front 
except  our  David,  and  the  chief  forester's  George. 
From  whom  is  it,  Helena  ? " 

"  I  really  do  not  know,"  I  protested,  and  went 
back  to  Anita. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Well,  Anita,  here  I  am.  What  do  you 
wish  ?  " 

"  Fraulein  von  Werthern,"  the  girl  began, 
"  Lord  Chamberlain  von  Oerzen  is  here.  I 
believe  he  intends  to  call  upon  the  countess 
to-morrow.  He  is  evidently  in  a  very  bad 
humor,  and  asked  how  it  happened  that  the 
countess  had  not  continued  to  occupy  her 
apartments  in  the  castle. 

"  I  said  that  she  grew  lonely  and  melancholy, 
and  wanted  to  be  with  her  sister.  Well,  the  long 
and  the  short  of  it  is,  that  they  have  heard  at 
Court  what  everybody  is  talking  of  here,  namely, 
that  Herr  Roden  and  the  countess  have  been 
reconciled,  and  that  it  is  not  at  all  impossible 
that  they  may  blot  the  royal  marriage  entirely 
from  their  memory,  and  renew  their  old  engage- 
ment. The  duchess,  however,  considers  such 
an  arrangement  quite  dangerous,  for  the  prince 
is  by  no  means  delighted  with  his  parents'  ener- 
getic interference  with  his  dream  of  a  love 
marriage. 

"  In  short,  Fraulein  von  Werthern,  as  far  as 
I  could  make  out  from  the  questions  which  the 
lord  chamberlain  put  to  me,  the  Court  is  deter- 
mined, at  any  price,  to  dissuade  the  countess  from 
such  a  course  ;  for,  if  she  should  remain  here, 
and  the  prince  thus  have  an  opportunity  of  meet- 
19 


290  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 

ing  her  frequently,  his  future  marriage  would  have 
little  prospect  of  happiness." 

"  My  dear  Anita,"  I  said,  "  if  the  two  young 
people  desire  to  marry,  the  duke  will  not  be 
able  to  prevent  it ;  but  matters  have  not  gone 
so  far  as  that,  yet ;  Fritz  Roden  is  ill,  and  my 
sister  is  not  yet  divorced." 

"  I  only  wanted  to  give  you  warning,  Fraulein 
von  Werthern.  It  seems  to  me  that  I  am  paying 
a  debt  to  my  own  conscience,  if  I  can  serve  the 
countess  in  any  way.  You  know  that  in  the 
spring  it  was  I  who  carried  to  her  all  the  prince's 
letters." 

"I  knew  that  long  ago,"  I  replied  bitterly. 

"I  am  very  sorry  for  it  now,"  she  said  softly, 
"  but  I  had  no  option.  You  cannot  know  how 
violent  the  prince's  passion  was,  nor  how  skil- 
fully the  countess  fanned  the  flame  by  her  appa- 
rent indifference." 

"  Regret  can  change  nothing  now,  Anita." 

She  lingered  a  moment  at  the  door,  and  then 
went  away,  and  I  returned  to  the  sitting-room. 

At  the  first  glance  I  saw  that  the  army  letter, 
which  lay  on  the  table  before  Frau  Roden,  must 
have  contained  something  of  special  importance, 
for  the  little  woman  was  unusually  agitated,  and 
looked  up  at  me  oddly  over  her  spectacles  with 
an  air  of  interrogation  and  reproof,  as  if  she  were 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          291 

about  to  accuse  me  of  some  flagrant  transgres- 
sion. 

Fritz  had  disappeared. 

Not  having  the  slightest  conception  of  what 
the  letter  contained,  I  said  : 

"  No  bad  news,  I  hope  ?  " 

"  No,  Helena,  but  unexpected  news.  You 
might  have  given  me  your  confidence,  my  child." 

I  was  dumfounded. 

"  What  is  it  all  about  ? " 

"  About  you." 

"  About  me  !  " 

"  Yes  ;  here's  a  letter  for  you,  enclosed  in  the 
one  for  me.  It  contains  an  offer  of  marriage " 

"  For  me  ?  "  And  I  laughed  more  heartily  than 
I  had  done  for  many  a  day. 

"  But,  child,  there  is  nothing  to  laugh  at,  God 
knows,"  said  the  old  lady  petulantly. 

"  But  who  in  the  world  would  send  me  an  offer 
of  marriage  ?  It  must  be  a  mistake  ;  the  writer 
means  Lotta." 

"  Not  so  fast,  Helena.  Sit  down,  please,  and  I'll 
read  to  you  the  letter  which  was  addressed  to  me." 

I  was  curious  to  learn  what  the  letter  con- 
tained, and  took  my  seat  obediently. 

"  It  is  signed  '  Von  Brenken,  Captain  of  the 
loth  Regiment.'  "  As  she  pronounced  the  name, 
she  gave  me  a  searching  look. 


292  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  I  know  him,"  I  replied  hesitatingly;  "  he  was 
my  father's  adjutant,  and  came  daily  to  our  house. 
Nevertheless,  he  must  mean  Lotta " 

She  interrupted  me,  and  began  to  read  : 

"  HONORED  MADAME  : 

"  You  will  doubtless  be  surprised  that  the  stranger  who 
writes  these  lines  should  venture  to  address  you  with  an 
earnest  request  respecting  what  is  to  him  a  matter  of 
the  gravest  importance.  Your  kind  assistance  will  place 
him  under  the  obligation  of  everlasting  gratitude. 

"  You  have,  living  with  you,  a  daughter  of  my  old  conv 
mander,  Fraulein  Helena  von  Werthern.  I  am,  perhaps, 
not  in  error  when  I  assume  that  you,  my  dear  madam, 
have  taken  a  mother's  place  toward  the  young  lady.  And, 
therefore,  I  apply  to  you,  in  the  first  instance.  I  have 
long  loved  Fraulein  von  Werthern  ;  her  gracious  presence, 
and  her  gentle,  kind  manner,  early  inspired  me  with  a  sin- 
cere passion  ;  and  although  up  to  this  time  I  have  kept 
myself  modestly  in  the  background,  and  have  given  her 
no  word  or  indication  of  my  affection,  the  reason  was, 
that  I  had  nothing  to  offer  her  which  would  make  her 
future  secure. 

"  Two  weeks  ago  I  received  a  captain's  commission  ; 
I  possess  a  small  fortune,  and  need  hesitate  no  longer  to 
ask  Fraulein  von  Werthern  to  become  my  wife.  You  will 
shake  your  head,  perhaps,  over  my  folly  in  dreaming  of 
love  and  wooing,  amidst  the  turmoil  of  battle  and  the  dan- 
gers of  war ;  but  here  in  camp,  and  facing  the  enemy,  I 
have  felt  more  strongly  than  ever  the  longing  to  tell  her 
that  I  love  her,  and  to  know  if  she  kindly  remembers  me. 
So  1  send  you  the  enclosed  letter,  with  the  request  that 
you  place  it  in  Fraulein  von  Werthern's  hands." 


Tivo  Daughters  of  One  Race.          293 

She  ceased  reading,  and  I  could  not  find  a 
word  for  reply.  It  was  a  new  and  powerful  sen- 
sation for  me  to  realize  that  some  one  loved  me 
and  desired  me.  "  Is  it  possible  that  any  one 
has  taken  notice  of  me  ?  "  I  murmured  uncon- 
sciously and  half  aloud. 

Frau  Roden  arose  and  went  into  the  next  room. 

I  put  out  my  hand  eagerly  for  the  letter.  Yes, 
there  it  was ;  addressed  in  bold,  manly  charac- 
ters, too  :  "  Fraulein  Helena  von  Werthern." 

I  took  up  the  missive  with  a  sensation  of  in- 
comparable satisfaction.  I  had  not  the  feeling 
of  triumph  and  joy  which  thrills  a  girl's  soul 
when  she  receives  the  homage  of  the  man  to 
whom  her  heart  belongs.  My  joy  was  of  a  dif- 
ferent sort — like  that  of  a  flower  which  has 
blossomed  unnoticed  in  the  shade,  and  upon 
which  at  last  a  stray  sunbeam  falls.  I  was  so 
grateful  to  the  writer,  whom  I  had  seen  a  thou- 
sand times,  without  the  slightest  suspicion  of 
what  was  going  on  in  his  heart. 

The  image  of  the  tall,  blue-eyed  man  rose 
distinctly  before  my  eyes  ;  silent,  earnest,  and 
courteous,  indefatigable  in  his  endeavor  to  win 
his  commander's  commendation  ;  and  I  remem- 
bered now  that  there  were  tears  in  his  eyes  when 
he  pressed  my  hand  by  my  father's  open  grave 
And  he  loved  me  ! 


.194  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

I  stood  a  long  time  before  I  brought  myself  to 
the  point  of  breaking  the  seal,  and  then  I  read 
his  honest,  loving  words. 

How  was  it  possible  ? 

When  I  went  upstairs  Lotta  had  lit  her  lamp, 
and  was  writing. 

"  Bless  me,  how  you  look  !  "  she  exclaimed. 

I  told  her  with  some  difficulty  what  had  hap- 
pened, and  showed  her  the  letter. 

"  What !  Von  Brenken  !  You  don't  mean  to 
say  so  ?  And  that's  the  reason  he  loitered  so  eter- 
nally in  the  corridor.  Well,  it's  a  great  piece  of 
good  fortune,  and  I  congratulate  you  ;  and  now 
that  I  think  of  it,  you  suit  one  another  exactly." 

At  this  remark  my  thoughts  took  another  turn. 

"I  do  not  know  him  well  enough,"  I  replied, 
"  and  besides,  I  do  not  love  him." 

"  Now,  for  Heaven's  sake  don't  begin  that," 
she  cried.  "  It's  a  tremendous  piece  of  good 
fortune  for  you,  Helena." 

"  I  have  my  own  peculiar  notions  about  happi- 
ness," I  rejoined. 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  you'd  rather  start  a  board- 
ing-school, or  rent  furnished  rooms  at  a  summer 
resort,"  she  said  impatiently. 

"  I'd  rather  do  that  than  deceive  an  honest, 
good  man." 

"  What  are  you   talking   about  ? "  she  asked 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race,  295 


"  How  do  you  mean  deceive  him  ?  Of  course 
you  never  thought  of  this  lover  who  has  fallen 
from  the  clouds,  and  you  cannot  love  him  on 
the  spur  of  the  moment.  He  loves  you,  and  that 
is  enough." 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  all  my  reasons,  Lotta  ;  but 
I  beg  you  to  assume  that  they  are  sufficient,  and 
allow  me  to  act  without  any  importunities  from 
you." 

She  gave  me  a  searching  look,  and  said  slowly  : 

"  Is  it  possible  that  your  heart  is  no  longer 
free  ? " 

And  as  the  hot  blood  rushed  tumultuously  to 
my  face,  she  nodded  her  head  with  a  long-drawn 
"  Ah  !  is  that  it  ? — but  think  it  over  well,  Helena, 
'  a  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush.' 
Ask  your  worldly-wise  patron  downstairs,  and 
she  will  confirm  what  I  tell  you." 

I  made  no  answer,  but  got  pen,  ink,  and  paper, 
and  sat  down  to  write — a  refusal.  Of  course  I 
could  not  tell  him  why  I  declined  his  offer,  any 
more  than  I  could  deceive  his  honest  heart  by 
pretending  to  give  him  mine,  in  which  there  was 
no  place  for  him. 

I  wrote  him  kindly  and  graciously,  and  wished 
him  sincerely  another  and  a  truer  happiness  than 
he  could  find  with  me. 

At  eight  o'clock  Lotta  and  I  went  down  to 


296  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

tea.  Fritz  did  not  come  to  the  table  ;  he  did 
not  feel  so  well,  his  mother  said,  and  he  preferred 
eating  in  his  room. 

"  In  January,  Fritz  is  going  to  Wiesbaden," 
she  continued,  "  the  doctor  says  he  can  go  now, 
for  his  wounds  are  fully  healed.  I  should  gladly 
have  accompanied  him,  but  everything  would 
fall  into  confusion  in  my  absence  ;  Rieke  is  deaf, 
and  the  under-servants  will  not  obey  honest  old 
Miiller." 

"  Why,  I  will  oversee  things,"  I  suggested. 

"  You  ? "  said  the  old  lady.  "  No,  no,  Helena  ; 
girls  in  love  make  bad  housekeepers." 

I  laughed  so  heartily  that  both  women  looked 
at  me  in  surprise. 

"  Dear  Frau  Roden,"  began  Lotta,  "  now  that 
our  conversation  has  touched  upon  this  point,  I 
wish  you  would  reason  with  Helena  a  little  ;  you 
know  our  condition.  Is  it  not  foolishness  for 
her  to  scruple  to  accept  this  offer  just  because 
she  doesn't  love  the  captain  ? " 

Frau  Roden  gave  me  a  sudden  look.  "  It's 
an  old  proverb,  countess,"  she  said,  "  that  words 
are  lost  where  a  marriage  is  concerned  ;  that's  a 
matter  for  the  two  alone,  and  each  must  settle 
the  question  with  his  own  heart." 

Lotta  said  nothing.  I  kept  my  eyes  fixed  on 
my  plate.  If  she  only  knew  that  my  letter  of 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  297 

refusal  was  already  on  its  way  to  France.  What 
has  love  to  do  with  long  deliberation  ?  Had  i 
reflected  from  morn  till  eve  for  one  hundred 
days,  my  decision  would  not  have  been  differ- 
ent. And  because  I  was  a  poor  girl,  before 
whose  eyes  the  future  lay  dark  and  sombre, 
should  I  give  to  an  honest  man  a  promise  which 
came  from  the  head  and  not  from  the  heart,  and 
walk  by  his  side  through  life  like  a  homesick 
wanderer  whose  eyes  turn  ever  toward  the  land 
where  the  heart  remains,  and  yet  who  may  not 
think  of  home  for  fear  of  sin  ?  No  ;  I  was  not 
rational  enough  for  that.  The  thought  chilled 
my  blood.  And  why  could  I  not  go  through 
life  alone  ?  It  were  better  far  than  to  be  mar- 
ried without  love. 

After  supper,  when  Lotta  had  gone  upstairs, 
I  took  up  fresh  bandages,  and  knocked  on  Fritz 
Roden's  door.  "  The  sister  of  mercy  is  here,"  I 
cried  lightly. 

"Come  in,"  he  answered. 

Frau  Roden  arose  from  her  chair  by  her  son's 
side  to  make  room  for  me,  and  then  went  out. 

He  looked  at  me  so  steadily  and  so  search- 
ingly  as  I  stood  before  him,  that  I  ;;rew  red  in 
the  face  and  cast  down  my  eyes. 

"  And  this  news  comes  to  us  so  unexpect- 
edly," he  said ;  "  did  you  know  nothing  of  it  ?  J 


298  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

think  mother  was  hurt  by  your  want  of  confi- 
dence in  her." 

I  had  to  laugh  in  spite  of  myself.  "  She 
couldn't  be  more  astonished  than  I.  Now  let 
me  have  your  arm,  please." 

"  And  you  are  considering  it  seriously  ?  "  he 
said  with  an  air  of  constraint. 

"  Considering  it  !  "  I  exclaimed  indignantly. 
"  What  is  there  to  consider  ?  "  I  believed  he 
wanted  to  persuade  me  to  accept,  and  my  mood 
changed  from  gayety  to  gloom. 

I  wound  the  bandage  round  his  arm  with 
trembling  fingers. 

"  But  that  you  and  Lotta,  of  all  persons, 
should  give  me  this  advice,  makes  me  laugh," 
I  exclaimed  abruptly.  But  I  was  not  laughing  ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  tears  stood  in  my  eyes. 

He  sprang  to  his  feet,  and  seized  my  hand. 
"You're  right,"  he  said,  "laugh  heartily,  but  it 
was  not  kind  of  you  to  remind  me  of  the  past." 

"  I  did  not  mean  to  wound  you,"  I  stam- 
mered. He  had  suddenly  grown  very  pale. 
"  And  I  would  not  hurt  you,  either,  God 
knows  !  " 

We  stood  a  moment  side  by  side  ;  he  held  my 
hand  in  his. 

"  I  will  beg  your  pardon,  Helena,"  he  whis- 
pered, "  if " 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.  299 


"  No,  no,"  I  protested,  for  I  suspected  what 
that  '  if  '  implied. 

At  this  moment  I  heard  the  sound  of  Lotta's 
piano,  and  involuntarily,  as  if  in  pain,  I  repeated 
his  own  words,  "  Consider,  Fritz,  consider." 
The  stupid  tears  rolled  down  my  cheeks,  and 
I  could  not  wipe  them  away,  for  he  held  both 
my  hands,  and  he  kept  them  fast. 

"  You  dear,  faithful  counsellor,"  he  said 
warmly,  but  gave  no  other  answer  to  my  warn- 
ing. He  only  sighed,  and  letting  my  hands  fall, 
seated  himself  at  the  table  in  silence. 

Without  a  word  I  left  the  room.  Yes,  plainly 
he  loved  Lotta  still.  My  warning  came  too  late, 
and  where  was  his  pride  ?  "  In  love  affairs," 
my  grandmother  once  said,  "  men  have  no 
pride."  She  was  right  ;  he  had  none  !  And  yet 
how  could  a  man  take  to  his  heart  again  the 
woman  who  had  once  deceived  him? 

Moodily  I  sat  down  by  the  old  lady,  who,  with 
sorrowful  countenance,  was  knitting  by  the  even- 
ing lamp. 

"  Have  you  been  crying  ?  "  she  asked. 

The  question  confused  me  ;  for  answer  I 
kissed  her  hand. 

"  Your  head  is  full  of  this  offer  of  marriage, 
Helena." 

"  You  may  scold  me  and  call   me  unreason- 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


able,  dear  Fran  Roden.  but  I  cannot  marry  Cap- 
tain von  Brenken,"  I  declared  firmly. 

"  Dear  child,"  she  said,  "  I  will  not  scold  you. 
God  be  praised  !  I  feel  as  if  some  one  were 
trying  to  take  from  me  an  own  daughter,"  and 
she  kissed  me  tenderly.  "  So  the  man  fell  in 
love  with  your  eyes  and  your  sweet  face.  And 
true  enough,  Helena,  you  are  pretty.  I  always 
knew  it,  but  never  saw  it  so  plainly  as  I  do  to- 
day. Singular  that  a  perfect  stranger  should  be 
the  first  to  make  me  realize  it."  And  she  kissed 
me  again  and  looked  at  me  with  glad  and  moth- 
erly eyes  ;  and  with  it  all  I  was  so  sad — so  sad. 
Where  was  my  pride  ? 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE  next  morning  the  lord  chamberlain  sent 
to  ask  when  he  might  speak  to  her  ladyship,  the 
countess.  Lotta  was  sitting  in  our  room  at  the 
coffee-table,  and  gave  the  answer  in  person. 

"At  five  o'clock  in  the  evening." 

Anita  smiled,  for  she  had  just  told  us  that 
Herr  von  Oerzen  intended  to  return  by  the  four 
o'clock  train,  because  he  was  invited  to  dine 
with  her  grace  the  duchess,  in  the  evening. 
I  thought  that  Lotta  had  not  heard  what  was 
said,  so  I  spoke  up  : 

"  No,  Lotta,  that  will  not  do.  Herr  von 
Oerzen  has  to " 

"  At  five  o'clock,"  she  interrupted  ;  "  I  have  a 
headache,  and  am  in  no  condition  to  sustain  an 
exciting  interview.  Toward  evening  my  head- 
ache generally  gets  better — I  know  my  constitu- 
tion." 

"  But,  Lotta,  I  can't  be  with  you  at  that  time, 
because  I  have  promised  Frau  Roden  to  go  out 
with  her  to  make  some  purchases." 

"  But,  my  sweet  child,  I  have  not  asked  you 
to  be  present  at  this  conference." 


302  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 


"  Then  it  is  all  right,"  I  said  snappishly,  some- 
what irritated  by  her  ironical  tone. 

Lotta  drank  her  coffee  coolly,  dismissed  Anita, 
who  still  lingered  at  the  door,  and  then  went  into 
her  bed-chamber.  I  heard  her  searching  through 
her  wardrobe  and  bureaus  ;  then  she  came  out 
with  her  white  cashmere  tea-gown  thrown  over 
her  arm,  from  which  she  began  to  rip  off  the  pale 
blue  ribbons.  I  did  not  exactly  understand  the 
significance  of  her  employment,  and  went  down- 
stairs to  attend  to  some  of  the  household  duties, 
which  Frau  Roden  had  gradually  laid  upon  me. 
I  was  busy  about  the  house  for  several  hours : 
the  old  lady's  bunch  of  keys  hung  at  my  girdle 
as  I  went  my  rounds.  Then  came  the  cosey 
afternoon  tea,  and  the  daily  papers. 

Frau  Roden  was  cheerful  and  in  an  excellent 
humor.  She  sat  by  Fritz  and  wrote  a  long  list 
of  purchases  for  Christmas. 

"  Now,  little  Helena,"  said  she,  "  put  on  a 
brighter  face,  and  don't  cry  about  this  affair  with 
the  lord  chamberlain.  That  will  come  about  all 
right." 

But  I  could  not  master  my  depression.  I  was 
about  to  ask  her  to  let  me  stay  with  Lotta  ;  my 
sister's  nature  was  an  enigma  to  me  ;  she  seemed 
so  sure  of  victory — she  must  be  planning  some- 
thing. And  I  kept  thinking  continually  that 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          303 

while  we  were  absent  she  would  sit  in  the  twi- 
light with  Fritz,  talking  and  laughing  gayly,  and 
then,  and  then — I  nearly  cried  with  fear — she 
was  so  beautiful  and  so  keen,  and  he  loved  her 
so. 

Lotta  excused  herself  from  the  table  on  ac- 
count of  her  headache.  1  knew,  however,  that 
she  was  lying  on  the  sofa  and  nibbling  bonbons. 
Frau  Roden,  in  all  compassion,  was  preparing  to 
hasten  upstairs  with  eau  de  cologne  and  lemon- 
peel,  and  with  difficulty  I  persuaded  her  to  relin- 
quish her  purpose. 

"Oh,  I  see,"  she  said,  smiling.  She  had 
learned  to  know  what  these  headaches  meant, 
while  Lotta  was  a  bride.  As  I  went  up  about 
four  o'clock  to  fetch  my  hat  and  cloak,  prepara- 
tory to  going  out,  I  found  Lotta  in  my  chamber 
attired  in  a  white  cashmere  robe,  trimmed  with 
lace,  and  just  about  to  place  a  lovely  little  cap 
on  her  dark  hair.  I  stood  riveted  to  the  thresh- 
old. She  looked  so  charming  in  this  simple  but 
elegant  costume,  which  suited  her  figure  to  per- 
fection. But,  notwithstanding,  I  felt  my  anxiety 
increase. 

"  What  is  that  for  ?  "  I  asked. 

She  blushed  slightly,  and  took  up  her  vinai- 
grette. 

"  I  thought  you  had  gone  out,"  she  replied 


304  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

evasively,  and  swept  by  me  like  a  fairy.  And 
nothing  remained  in  the  room  save  the  heavy 
odor  of  her  sweet  perfume. 

She  had  gone  into  her  own  room,  and  I  heard 
her  throw  herself  on  the  sofa,  and  I  had  no 
doubt  she  had  thrown  the  deep  red  silk  cover 
over  the  lamp-shade,  for  the  blood-red  rays  of 
light  came  through  the  half-closed  doorway.  I 
could  not  bear  to  go  in  and  look  at  her  again, 
and  so  I  went  directly  down  to  the  front  door. 
I  found  Frau  Roden  ready,  and  waiting  in  the 
hallway.  Rieke  went  before  us  with  a  lantern 
and  a  large  basket. 

Under  the  chestnut  trees  we  passed  a  gentle- 
man, who  was  hastening  toward  the  house. 

"  God  have  mercy  on  us  !  What  is  Lotta 
going  to  do  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Don't  be  so  nervous,  Helena,"  said  the  old 
lady  consolingly.  "  It  will  all  come  right." 

Had  she  then  no  more  apprehension,  or  had 
she  become  reconciled  to  the  fact  that  they 
two 

We  went  from  one  shop  to  another.  I  never 
knew  what  we  bought,  and  started  as  if  awakened 
from  a  dream  whenever  the  old  lady  asked  my 
advice  about  anything.  Ever  before  my  eyes 
stood  the  image  of  the  graceful  figure  in  the  pure 
white  dress,  with  her  fair  young  fice,  her  deep 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          305 

and  glowing  eyes,  and  the  warm  red  light  stream- 
ing over  all. 

"  Yes,  yes,"  I  answered  absently,  to  a  question 
from  the  old  lady. 

"Why,  Helena,  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ? 
You  look  so  pale,"  she  asked. 

"  Go  home  at  once,  child,"  she  continued  ;  "  I 
will  finish  what  has  to  be  done  alone.  Go, 
Helena." 

I  obeyed  her  mechanically.  A  few  moments 
I  stood  before  the  shop  windows  collecting  my 
thoughts,  and  then  I  rushed  forward  through  the 
dimly  lighted  streets.  As  I  neared  the  house  I 
saw  how  from  Lotta's  windows  the  warm,  red 
light  streamed  out  upon  me,  through  the  bare 
branches  of  the  trees.  Upon  the  curtain  fell  the 
shadow  of  a  man's  form  passing  to  and  fro, 
between  it  and  the  lamp.  I  looked  up  and  said 
to  myself,  "The  lord  chamberlain  is  still  there." 

But  the  sitting-room  windows — our  windows — 
were  dark.  I  wondered  at  that,  for  Fritz  did  not 
love  to  sit  in  the  twilight.  His  was  not  a  nature 
inclined  to  idle  dreaming. 

I  entered  the  house,  ascended  the  stairs,  went 
into  my  chamber,  and  flung  off  my  mantle  and 
hat,  when  suddenly  I  stood  as  if  transfixed.  Plain 
and  clear,  I  heard  Fritz  Roden's  voice  in  the 
adjoining  chamber. 


306  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  No,  that  I  deny,"  said  he. 

He  upstairs — he  with  Lotta  !  The  door  was 
ajar.  I  wanted  to  go  and  close  it.  What  was  it 
to  me  what  these  two  said  to  each  other  ?  But  I 
could  not  stir  from  the  spot ;  my  limbs  refused  to 
serve  me. 

And  then  there  fell  on  my  agonized  ear  a  sim- 
ple sentence,  that  was  like  balm  t6  my  troubled 
heart ;  so  sweet  it  seemed  to  me  as  if  I  heard 
from  the  open  heavens  a  Christmas  carol  of  the 
angelic  choir  : 

"I  may  venture  to  confide  to  you,  my  lady,  that 
I  love  your  sister." 

It  seemed  to  me  as  if  I  must  weep  and  laugh, 
as  if  I  must  cry  aloud,  and  there  fell  from  my 
heart  the  burden  and  pain  of  years.  I  closed 
my  eyes  like  one  who  is  dazzled  by  the  sudden 
glory  of  the  sun. 

I  heard  his  low  tread  on  the  carpet,  as  he  kept 
up  his  walk  across  the  room. 

Then  Lotta  laughed, 

"  Oh,  so  soon  !  "  said  she. 

"  That  is  a  question  which  you  should  not 
ask,"  responded  Fritz. 

"  So  you  want  to  give  yourself  the  air  of  a 
passionate  character,  do  you  ?  You,  of  all  men, 
Fritz."  And  again  she  broke  out  into  her  clear, 
ringing  laugh,  but  this  time  there  was  a  sound  in 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          307 

it  which  seemed  like  anger  and  disdain.  Then 
I  heard  the  sweep  of  her  train  over  the  floor  ,-  she 
stood  just  in  front  of  the  door,  and  her  shadow 
cut  off  the  ray  of  red  light  which  came  in  through 
the  cracks. 

"  Sir,"  she  said  sneeringly,  "  we  are  playing  a 
comedy  here.  We  have  the  only  roles.  Do  you 
want  to  learn  the  substance  of  the  piece  in  a  few 
words  ?  I  am  going  to  Dresden  to-morrow,  into 
a  sort  of  prison  which  the  duchess  has  prepared 
for  me  there,  in  order  to  get  me  away  from  here. 
She  is  afraid  that  the  prince  may  not  be  able  to 
forget  me  so  quickly.  I  am  honest  enough  to 
confess  that  I  go  very  unwillingly — very  unwill- 
ingly. For  that  reason  I  wish  to  speak  to  you. 
I  should  have  remained  here — I  should  gladly 
have  picked  up  again  and  placed  upon  my 
finger  the  golden  ring  which  I  once  flung  from 
my  hand.  You  see  I  am  indeed  honest.  I  say 
gladly — and  do  you  wish  to  know  for  what 
reason  ? " 

"  Revenge,  my  lady,"  replied  Fritz  quietly. 

"Yes,  for  revenge,"  she  rejoined  slowly. 
"  And  you,  Fritz  Roden,  you  love  me  yet.  You 
love  me  as  you  did  in  those  days  when  you  sent 
Helena  to  me  to  press  your  suit.  And  yet  you 
take  your  position  before  me,  and  with  folded 
arms  and  an  air  which  could  not  be  more  indif- 


308  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

ferent  if  you  were  speaking  to  your  foreman — 
you  utter  to  me  the  prodigious  falsehood  that 
you  love  my  sister.  And  if  I  should  ask  you 
'  Why  ? '  then  you,  as  an  honest  man,  would 
have  to  answer,  '  For  revenge,  my  lady,  for 
revenge  !  ' '  And  again  she  began  to  laugh. 

"  The  reasons  which  move  me  are  certainly  of 
no  interest  to  you." 

"That  is  true,"  she  cried,  "they  are  of  no 
interest  to  me.  I  am  only  sorry  for  the  poor 
little  fool,  for " 

I  heard  no  more.  I  sprang  up  and  rushed 
from  the  room  and  down  the  stairs.  I  stood  a 
moment  in  the  hallway  wrestling  with  my  anger, 
and  knew  not  where  to  turn.  Then  I  tore  open 
the  door  and  dashed  across  the  court-yard 
toward  the  garden  ;— anywhere,  so  that  nobody 
saw  me. 

For  revenge  ! 

It  had  begun  to  snow ;  the  great  white  flakes 
cooled  my  burning  face  as  they  fell.  I  sat  down 
on  the  stone  bench,  under  the  linden  tree.  I  sat 
there  a  long  time  ;  I  was  not  cold  ;  I  felt  nothing, 
and  heard  only  the  one  word  : 

"  For  revenge  !  " 

The  whirling  snowflakes  fell  faster,  and  cov- 
ered the  garden  with  a  loose,  light  mantle.  My 
senses  swam.  I  could  not  think.  At  last  I  heard 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          309 

some  one  call  my  name,  and  the  voice  sounded 
strong  and  loud  through  the  darkness.  "  Helena! 
Helena  !  " 

Horrified,  I  sprang  to  my  feet.  I  could  not 
meet  him  again  that  night,  and  I  fled  farther  and 
farther  along  the  old  and  well-known  path,  and 
deeper  and  deeper  into  the  garden,  till  I  stood 
before  the  door  of  our  former  dwelling.  I  put 
my  hand  in  my  pocket,  and  found  the  key,  and 
with  trembling  haste  I  unlocked  the  door  and 
ran  upstairs  to  my  grandmother's  room,  and 
buried  myself  in  her  old  arm-chair. 

There,  I  fancied,  I  should  be  secure  and  un- 
disturbed, and  for  that  moment  I  wanted  nothing 
more. 

The  chamber  was  as  still  as  death.  In  the 
dim  light  reflected  from  the  snow  outside  I  was 
soon  able  to  distinguish  the  objects  in  the  room  ; 
there  stood  the  great,  high  bedstead,  yonder  the 
writing-table  ;  and  as  I  recognized  these  familiar 
objects  there  rose  before  my  soul  with  awful  dis- 
tinctness the  picture  of  the  past.  I  saw  Lotta 
standing  there  with  Fritz,  the  tender,  ardent 
lover. 

Does  love  then  die  so  soon  ?  Oh,  no,  she  was 
right ;  he  loved  her  now  as  he  did  then.  But  he 
had  been  wronged,  and  he  was  proud,  and  in  his 
own  defence  he  had  taken  refuge  behind  the  pre- 


3 TO  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

tence  of  a  new  affection.  And  so  he  had  told 
the  beautiful  woman  who  had  thought  to  bring 
him  again  to  her  feet  :  "  I  love  another ;  and  this 
other,  since  she  is  so  conveniently  at  hand,  is 
your  sister." 

"The  poor  little  fool !  "  She  would  certainly 
be  unspeakably  happy  to  receive  this  distinc- 
tion, for  had  she  not  in  a  thousand  ways  already 
betrayed  that  her  heart  was  his  alone  ? 

His  man's  pride  was  fully  satisfied ;  the  beau- 
tiful fiance"e  of  other  days  was  humbled  to  the 
earth,  and  there  was  plenty  of  time  in  the  future 
to  determine  what  to  do  with  the  sister.  He  was 
avenged. 

I  leaned  my  arms  upon  the  cushions  of  the  old 
sofa,  and  began  to  reflect.  I  couldv  not  remain 
here  any  longer,  that  was  clear.  I  would  not 
go  with  Lotta  ;  the  thought  filled  me  with  hon- 
est indignation,  and  I  clinched  my  hands  in 
defiant  anger.  I  might  go  to  Berlin  to  some 
hospital.  Yes,  I  would  do  that  in  the  morning. 
Then  there  fell  into  my  brain,  like  a  spark  of  fire, 
the  name  Brenken.  Yes,  yes,  I  whispered,  there 
is  an  honest  human  heart.  The  words  were 
scarcely  uttered  when  the  hot  blood  rushed  to 
my  face,  and  I  felt  myself  overpowered  by  a 
sense  of  shame.  No,  that  can  never  be.  There 
was  a  strange  singing  in  my  ears.  I  felt  my 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          311 

temples  throb  against  the  cushions.  Again  the 
feeling  of  dizziness  came  over  me,  and  with 
trembling  hands  I  reached  out  to  grasp  the  back 
of  a  chair  which  stood  near  ;  I  seemed  to  be 
sinking,  sinking  in  a  bottomless  abyss.  Once  I 
thought  I  heard  my  grandmother  call  my  name, 
and  her  voice  seemed  a  long  way  off  ;  then  the 
ringing  in  my  ears  came  back,  and  at  last  I 
sprang  up  in  terror,  and  looked  toward  the  door. 
I  saw  in  the  flickering  light  of  a  lantern  a  tall 
form,  and  heard  a  voice  say :  "  For  God's  sake, 
Helena  ! "  and  then  I  knew  no  more. 

They  told  me  afterward  that  Fritz  and  his 
mother  had  found  me  lying  unconscious  in  my 
grandmother's  chair,  and  when  the  old  lady  had 
put  me  to  bed,  and  the  doctor  had  come,  and 
said  that  I  should  probably  have  a  long  illness, 
that  Lotta  grew  deadly  pale  and  went  to  her 
room  without  a  word  ;  they  had  traced  me  to 
my  hiding-place  by  my  footprints  in  the  snow. 
When  the  fever  had  left  me,  and  I  became  once 
more  conscious,  the  light  of  a  clear  January  day 
shone  in  at  the  windows,  and  two  kind  old  moth- 
erly eyes  were  looking  down  upon  me.  With 
difficulty  I  remembered  where  I  was  and  what 
had  happened,  and  there  was  little  in  my  recol- 
lection to  aid  my  recovery. 

"  Where's  Lotta  ?  "  I  asked  seriously. 


312  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  In  Dresden,  child,"  answered  the  old  lady, 
quietly;  "  she  has' been  there  for  several  weeks." 

"  Alone  ?  "  I  stammered. 

"  No,  no  ;  the  duchess  has  provided  for  her 
like  a  mother  ;  she  is  living  with  Frau  von  Mil- 
lern,  who  used  to  be  a  maid  of  honor  to  her 
grace." 

I  was  silent.  I  was  so  tired  and  weak  that  I 
sank  again  into  half  unconsciousness  ;  but  I 
heard  the  gentle  movements  of  my  kind  watcher, 
and  knew  that  I  was  very  ill,  and  had  been  so 
for  a  long  time  ;  and  there  seemed  to  me  no 
object  in  ever  getting  well.  Soon  the  doctor 
came  in. 

"  Well,  well !  "  said  he  cheerily,  "  that's  what 
I  call  looking  at  life  with  new  eyes.  Now,  just 
eat  a  little  something  ;  do  as  you're  told,  and 
have  no  foolish  thoughts,  and  we'll  have  you 
well  immediately  ;  and  I  think  the  little  lady 
will  be  careful  after  this  not  to  sit  on  stone 
benches  under  linden  trees,  in  mid  winter,  as  if  it 
were  in  May.  Won't  she  ? "  And  the  little  old 
man  pressed  my  hand  lightly  and  went  into  the 
next  room. 

"  You  can  start  on  your  trip  now,  Fritz,"  I 
heard  him  say.  "  She's  getting  on  famously." 

Thank  God,  he  was  going  away,  and  before 
he  came  back  I  should  be  well ;  so  well  that  I 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          313 

could  find  my  way  alone,  far,  far  out  into  the 
world. 

Then  I  fell  asleep,  and  slept  a  long  time.  I 
was  awakened  by  whispering  voices  near  me. 
It  seemed  to  me  some  one  kissed  my  hand. 
It  was  dark  in  the  chamber,  except  for  the  little 
circle  of  light  which  the  lamp  threw  on  the  ceil- 
ing. I  could  not  tell  whether  it  was  evening  or 
morning. 

"  God  be  with  you,  my  dear  boy,"  I  heard  Frau 
Roden  say  ;  and  then  some  one  seemed  to  leave 
the  room,  and  I  heard  the  trampling  of  horses, 
and  the  noise  of  a  rolling  wagon  in  the  court 
beneath. 

Fritz  Roden  had  left  the  house.  .He  had 
taken  leave  of  me.  I  laid  my  cheek  upon  the 
hand  which  he  had  kissed,  and  wept. 

Now,  indeed,  we  were  parted  forever. 

My  recovery  progressed  rapidly.  There  came 
a  day  when  I  left  my  bed  for  an  hour,  and  then 
there  came  an  hour  when  I  was  able  to  sit  with 
Frau  Roden  at  the  table  ;  and  later  at  mid-day, 
when  the  sun  was  bright,  I  was  permitted  to  walk 
a  little  in  the  garden  ;  and  finally  I  was  well — 
entirely  well. 

Nothing  now  restrained  me  from  carrying  out 
my  resolutions  of  going  to  Berlin,  except  a  fool- 
ish dread  of  the  parting. 


314          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

One  evening,  as  we  sat  together  in  the  sitting- 
room,  I  began  with  a  heavy  heart  to  unfold  my 
plan. 

The  old  lady  smiled. 

"  I  have  no  authority  to  consent  to  your 
departure,"  said  she. 

I  was  nervous  and  irritable,  and  my  answer 
sounded  strange  enough  as  I  replied,  excit- 
edly :  "  I  need  no  one's  permission  for  my 
actions." 

She  did  not  resent  my  words,  but  rather  acted 
as  if  she  had  not  heard  or  understood  them. 

"You  won't  leave  me  while  Fritz  is  away, 
Helena  ?  It  is  not  a  very  nice  thing  for  me  to 
say  to  you,  but  then  I  know  you  will  understand 
me  when  I  tell  you  that  I  really  am  a  little  ex- 
hausted from  anxiety  and  nursing,  child.  And 
Fritz — you  know  men  have  no  judgment  in  such 
things — would  not  hear  of  any  one's  touching 
you  except  me." 

As  she  spoke  she  leaned  over  me  so  that  I 
was  compelled  to  look  straight  into  her  eyes. 

"Very  well  then,"  I  stammered,  "until  he 
comes  back.  But  tell  me  honestly  when  he  will 
return." 

She  still  acted  as  if  she  did  not  understand. 

"  He  used  to  like  to  surprise  me  by  an  unex- 
pected return.  But,  Helena,  what  do  you  mean  ? 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          31$ 

Are  you  afraid  of  Fritz  ?  What  has  he  done  to 
you  ? " 

•'  I  cannot  tell  you,"  I  answered,  "  if  he  has 
not  done  so." 

"I  don't  know  anything  about  it,"  continued 
the  old  Frau.  "  The  strangest  thing  to  me  was 
Lotta's  departure.  Of  course  you  saw  nothing 
of  it.  The  trunks  were  packed  in  haste  the 
afternoon  you  fell  ill.  There  was  such  a  noise 
and  confusion  upstairs  that  we  put  a  bed  for  you 
down  here.  Fritz  was  moved  back  forthwith 
into  his  old  room.  In  the  meanwhile  you  lay  on 
the  sofa  in  the  sitting-room  and  jabbered  all 
manner  of  senseless  stuff.  Our  house  was  sud- 
denly filled  with  people  that  had  no  business 
there.  The  doctor  sat  by  your  side  and  shook 
his  head.  The  lord  chamberlain  was  upstairs. 
Lotta  had  him  called  back  in  great  haste,  and 
Rieke  caught  him  just  as  he  was  about  to  enter 
the  train.  Anita  ran  up  and  downstairs  with 
boxes  and  packages,  and  I  stood  in  the  midst 
of  it  all,  and  had  not  the  slightest  conception 
of  what  the  whole  confusion  was  about.  Fritz 
was  silent  as  the  grave,  and  what  you  were  saying 
had  no  sense  in  it. 

"  The  next  morning,  at  nine  o'clock,  Lotta 
came  downstairs,  attired  in  a  satin  mantle, 
trimmed  with  fur,  and  took  leave  of  you.  She 


316  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

seemed  to  be  in  a  great  hurry  ;  the  ducal  car- 
riage was  waiting  outside.  Fritz  accompanied 
her  to  the  carriage,  where  the  Lord  Chamberlain 
von  Oerzen  was  standing,  with  his  hat  in  his 
hand,  as  if  Lotta  were  the  duchess  herself. 

"  '  Write  to  me  if  Helena  should  get  worse,'  she 
called  to  Fritz,  as  the  carriage  started.  Fritz 
replied  with  the  deepest  bow  he  ever  made  in 
his  life.  Then  the  horses  struck  into  a  trot  and 
she  was  gone. 

"  When  Fritz  came  into  the  house  again,  I 
seized  him  by  the  lapel  of  his  coat  and  said  to 
him,  'Now  you  will  tell  me  what  has  hap- 
pened ? ' 

"'When  she  is  better,  mother,'  he  said  eva- 
sively ;  '  let  me  alone  now,  and  go  to  her.' 

"  That  is  all  I  know,"  said  the  old  lady  in  con- 
clusion. 

"  And  has  Lotta  not  written  ? " 

"  No,  only  a  few  cards  with  inquiries  about 
your  condition.  The  worst  time  with  you  was 
about  Christmas.  But  now  it  is  all  over,  thank 
God.  And  in  the  field  we  have  had  victory  after 
victory.  We  have  a  German  emperor,  now.  And 
our  Fritz — I  don't  mean  the  Prussian  Crown- 
Prince,  but  our  own  Fritz,  Helena,  has  the  iron 
cross  ;  it  came  on  Christmas  Eve." 

"  Our  Fritz  !  "  I  shook  my  head  and  rose  to 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          317 

my  feet.  She  certainly  knew  nothing.  But  I 
stayed. 

Whenever  a  letter  came  from  Wiesbaden,  I 
repeated  my  question :  "  When  will  he  be  home  ? " 
"  It  is  not  yet  settled,"  was  the  invariable  answer. 
The  early  spring  came  in  softly,  and,  as  the  first 
snow-bells  bloomed  in  the  garden,  came  the  news 
of  peace.  The  camp-fires  were  covered  up. 
The  emperor  left  Versailles  and  returned  to  Ber- 
lin. Never  has  a  spring  more  glorious  risen 
over  Germany.  What  a  time  of  joy  and  exulta- 
tion ! 

"  When  he  comes  home." 

That  was  a  phrase  we  heard  a  thousand  times 
in  those  days.  "When  he  comes  home." 

It  was  the  seventh  of  March.  As  I  went 
through  the  kitchen  I  heard  Rieke  say  : 

"  When  he  comes  home  we  will  go  together  to 
our  parents,  and  in  the  summer  we  will  be  mar- 
ried. And,  girls,  every  one  of  you  shall  come  to 
the  wedding." 

I  turned  around  and  looked  into  the  girl's  red 
face,  which  fairly  beamed  with  its  joyous  antici- 
pation. The  servants  all  looked  especially  happy 
that  day. 

Just  as  J  was  entering  the  sitting-room  I  met 
Frau  Roden,  who  was  coming  out  of  her  son's 
chamber  with  her  duster  in  her  hand. 


3i 8  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  If  we  don't  clean  up  now  and  then,"  she 
said,  "  the  dust  ruins  everything."  Then  she 
walked  to  the  hall  door  and  shook  out  her  cloth 
energetically. 

Out  of  doors  a  flood  of  golden  sunshine  lit  up 
the  landscape.  It  was  a  real  spring  day,  so  full 
of  promise  and  of  joy.  One  of  those  days  which 
soften  the  heart  and  strengthen  faith  in  all  that 
is  good  and  glorious. 

"  Would  you  not  like  to  take  a  run  through 
the  garden,  Helena  ?  I  shall  be  greatly  surprised 
if  you  do  not  find  some  early  violets." 

I  was  standing  beside  her  as  she  spoke,  and 
was  looking  out  into  the  yard. 

"  Where  is  the  carriage  going  ?  "  I  asked,  for 
I  saw  that  the  coachman  was  harnessing  the 
horses  to  the  landau. 

"  To  the  wheelwright,"  responded  Frau  Ro- 
den ;  "  the  right — not  the  left — front  wheel  is 
injured." 

"  Is  he  putting  on  livery  to  go  to  the  wheel- 
wright's?" 

"  But,  child,  do  you  think  he  would  sit  on  the 
box  in  his  stable-jacket  ?  You  do  not  know 
Jurgen." 

I  looked  at  her  inquisitively,  but  she  gazed 
innocently  up  to  the  blue  heaven  on  which  a  few 
fleecy  white  clouds  were  floating. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          319 

"Ah,  this  is  a  delightful  day,"  she  said  enrap- 
tured. 

After  a  little  while  she  continued  :  "  I  can't 
but  think  of  those  who  have  no  joy  on  this 
spring,  because  their  loved  ones  will  never  more 
come  home.  Helena,  if  we  were  standing  here 
and  looking  over  the  court-yard,  knowing  that 
he  would  never  come  in  through  the  gate  again, 
and  that  I  should  never  again  hear  the  sound 
of  his  voice,  I  do  not  believe  I  could  bear  to 
look  at  the  blue  heaven  and  see  the  bright  sun- 
shine." 

As  she  spoke  it  seemed  to  me  that  the  sun 
did  grow  paler,  and  the  blue  of  the  heavens 
above  took  on  a  sombre  hue. 

"It  would  be  horrible,"  I  murmured  ;  but  in 
my  heart  I  felt  the  bitter  sarcasm,  "  what  is  it  to 
you  ?  " 

Suddenly  it  occurred  to  me  that  I  was  carry- 
ing in  my  pocket  a  letter  from  Lotta,  which  I 
had  not  yet  had  the  courage  to  open.  I  went 
quickly  to  my  room  and  broke  the  seal. 

"  Dear  Helena  :  "  she  wrote  : 

"From  day  to  day  I  watch  for  the  announcement  of 
your  betrothal.  What  is  the  matter?  I  am  not  mis- 
taken ;  Fritz  told  me  once  he  loved  you,  and  I  am  curious 
to  know  if  he  has  been  brave  enough  to  ask  you " 

I  crushed  the  paper  in  my  hand,     I  could  not 


320  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

read  farther.  Oh,  if  I  were  only  away  from 
here.  I  was  singularly  restless  that  day.  It 
seemed  to  me  there  was  an  unusual  stir  in  the 
house.  I  ran  through  all  the  rooms  and  searched 
for  a  confirmation  of  my  suspicions,  but  could 
see  nothing. 

It  will  be  best  for  me  to  make  my  prepara- 
tions soon,  I  thought,  as  I  went  downstairs  to 
look  for  my  trunk.  I  wanted  to  see  if  it  was  all 
right,  and  ready  for  travelling.  But  I  could  not 
find  it.  Perhaps  Lotta  has  taken  it,  I  said  to 
myself.  Sure  enough,  Lotta ;  with  her  name 
came  the  recollection  of  her  letter.  1  deter- 
mined to  finish  reading  it,  and  sat  down  on  an 
old  chest  and  began  to  read  : 

"  I  am  getting  on  famously.  The  pleasures  of  the  city 
have  given  me  new  life.  I  cannot  understand  how  I 
should  ever  have  thought  for  a  moment  of  staying  in  that 
wretched  Rotenberg.  My  ci  dcrant  husband  has  secured 
for  me  a  much  more  considerable  pension  than  his  eco- 
nomic mamma  had  intended.  Herr  von  Oerzen  gave  me 
this  information.  Unfortunately  I  can't  invite  you  to 
visit  me  because  I  am.  after  a  fashion,  a  guest  myself  in 
the  house  of  Frau  von  Millern,  although  I  pay  my  way. 
Moreover,  you  would  not  enjoy  the  life  we  live  here. 
Your  quiet  farm  and  two  blue  eyes  are  enough  for  you." 

I  read  no  further.  I  could  have  cried  with 
anger,  but  no  tears  came  to  my  relief  ;  the  house 
was  still  as  death.  The  sun  shone  in  through 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          321 

the  dormer  window,  and  a  thousand  motes 
danced  in  its  beams.  As  I  sat  there  I  heard 
the  noise  of  wheels  in  the  court  below  and  the 
merry  cracking  of  the  coachman's  whip,  and  a 
man's  voice  that  I  knew  well.  My  heart  stood 
still  with  fright  and  shame.  He  had  come 
home  ! 

Soon  I  heard  him  calling  "  Helena  !  Helena  !  " 
but  I  never  stirred.  A  thought  flashed  through 
my  mind — nobody  will  look  for  me  here,  and 
when  night  comes  I  can  steal  away  unobserved. 
How  and  whither  ?  I  neither  knew  nor  cared. 
Only  that  I  might  escape  him,  I — the  poor  little 
fool — "  her  sister." 

I  heard  them  hunting  and  searching.  I  was 
glad  to  know  myself  secure,  but  yet  at  heart  I 
felt  a  strange  misgiving.  The  voices  now  passed 
into  the  court-yard  and  garden,  and  I  could  tell 
that  the  searchers  were  anxious  and  excited. 

Then  I  heard  Fritz  shouting,  "  Jurgen,  put 
the  bays  in  the  hunting-wagon  at  once."  I 
sprang  to  my  feet,  but  still  I  could  not  go  down. 
I  began  to  feel  ashamed  of  myself.  Was  it 
not,  after  all,  a  childish  prank  to  hide  myself  ? 
Ought  I  to  let  him  see  that  I  feared  to  meet 
him  ?  Where  was  my  pride  ?  So  I  went  down- 
stairs with  heavy  feet  and  a  feeling  of  impotent 
weakness.  All  was  still  now  on  the  lower  floor, 

21 


322  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

but  from  the  court-yard  came  the  sound  of  the 
tramping  of  horses.  With  trembling  hands  I 
opened  the  door  of  Frau  Roden's  chamber,  and 
entered.  I  heard  a  measured  tread  in  the  next 
room  pacing  to  and  fro,  and  the  soothing  voice 
of  the  old  lady  saying,  "  Now,  Fritz,  do  be  calm  ; 
you'll  certainly  find  her  at  the  station." 

"God  grant  it,"  he  said  bitterly.  "I  do  not 
know  what  will  become  of  me  if  she  does  not 
come  back." 

"  But  Fritz— 

"  Mother,"  he  said  in  the  greatest  excitement, 
"this  house  is  nothing  to  me  without  Helena. 
I  can't  live  without  her.  You  have  lulled  me 
into  security.  You  told  me  that  she  loved  me, 
and  yet  you  have  not  understood  how  to  keep 
her  safely.  Oh,  why  did  I  go  away  without  her 
promise  ? " 

The  old  lady  made  no  answer,  as  was  her 
wont,  but  quickly  turned  and  entered  her  bed- 
chamber. She  gave  me  a  surprised  and  reproach- 
ful look  when  she  saw  me  standing  there,  but 
said  not  a  word.  In  a  moment  she  took  my 
listless  hand  and  pressed  it  between  both  hers. 
"  I  will  send  him  to  you  here,"  she  whis- 
pered. 

She  turned  to  go,  but  I  fell  on  her  neck  in 
deadly  fear. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          323 

"  No,  no  !  "  I  cried,  "  I  could  not  bear  it.  If  I 
should  be  deceived  ;  if,  after  all,  only  to  avenge 
himself,  he " 

The  sitting-room  door  closed  with  a  bang. 
Fritz  had  gone  out. 

The  old  lady  quickly  disengaged  herself  from 
my  embrace. 

"At  this  moment  he  is  starting  to  search  for 
you  in  fear  and  despair  ;  do  you  think  that  looks 
like  calculation  or  revenge  ?  Go  to  the  window, 
Helena.  Do  not  let  him  go  ;  and  tnen,  when  he 
stands  in  your  presence,  and  you  look  in  his 
troubled  eyes,  ask  his  pardon  for  having  thought 
the  truest  man  in  all  the  world — a  hypocrite." 

She  opened  the  door,  and  I  followed  her  sub- 
missively through  the  sitting-room  to  the  window 
which  looked  out  into  the  court-yard.  He  had 
just  taken  the  reins  from  the  coachman,  when  I 
tapped  loudly  on  the  pane.  I  did  not  see  him 
spring  from  down  the  seat,  for  I  had  not  the 
courage  to  open  my  eyes  ;  but  I  heard  his  joyous 
exclamation  as  he  sprang  into  the  house.  The 
door  flew  open,  and  an  instant  after  I  was  folded 
in  his  arms. 

Where  now  were  doubt  and  care  and  pain  ? 
Gone  like  the  ice  and  snow. 

The  spring-time  and  sunshine  of  my  life  had 
come. 


324          Two  Daughters  of  One  Race. 

"  Helena,  you  dear,  dear  girl,  say  yes  ?  " 

"  You  love  me — her  sister  ?  " 

"No,  not  'her  sister,'  but  you  yourself — the 
one,  the  only  one.  You  must  know  it,  Helena. 
I  have  loved  you  long." 

"  Ah,  I  thought  you  could  never  forget  Lot- 
ta." 

"Lotta?"  he  said,  "Lotta?  Why,  Helena, 
would  I  have  invited  her  to  remain  in  my  house 
had  I  not  been  fully  armed  against  her  power  by 
my  affection  for  you  ?  How  gladly  I  would  have 
told  you  how  dear  you  were  to  me,  had  I  not 
feared  in  those  days  of  sickness  that  I  could  not 
bear  it  should  you  answer  no.  And  so  I  tried 
to  tell  it  to  you  secretly  ;  that's  why  I  marked 
the  passage  in  '  Ekkehard,'  for  I  saw  that  you 
were  anxious  about  me,  on  account  of  the  lovely 
woman  in  the  room  above.  But  you  would 
not  understand  it.  Oh,  how  proud  you  can 
be,  Helena  ! " 

"  What  was  the  passage  ' "  I  asked. 

"Blessed  is  the  man  who  hath  overcome,"  he 
answered.  "  But  to-day  I  say,  thrice  blessed  is 
the  man  who  hath  found." 

Then  I  told  him  of  the  conversation  between 
him  and  Lotta,  which  I  had  accidentally  over- 
heard. 

He  smiled  and  shook  his  head. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          325 

"If  you  had  listened  a  little  longer,"  said  he, 
"  much  would  have  been  spared  to  you  and  me, 
for  then  you  would  have  heard  my  answer." 

"  What  was  your  answer  ?"  I  whispered. 

"  No,  not  for  revenge,  my  lady  ;  revenge  is  the 
weapon  of  a  heart  wounded  unto  death,  and  my 
heart  is  healed — long,  long  ago.  And  the  heal- 
ing was  done  by  a  pair  of  quiet,  soft  eyes,  and  a 
dear,  gentle  girlish  face. — Now,  do  you  want  to 
go  away  ? "  he  said,  releasing  me  from  his  em- 
brace, yet  with  the  air  of  one  who  is  sure  of  his 
ground. 

"  Ah,  Frtz  ! "  I  murmured,  "  I  should  have 
been  wretched  all  my  life." 

Then  he  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  led  me  to 
his  mother. 

"  My  dear  children,"  washer  simple  and  heart- 
felt blessing. 

Hark  !  The  bells  are  rir.ging,  and  their  merry 
tones  sounding  out  acr  -ss  the  happy  land  pro- 
claim the  glad  tidings  that  peace  reigns  once 
more  in  the  Fatherland 

In  the  village  church  and  in  the  great  cathe- 
dral, by  every  flowing  river,  and  from  every  hill 
and  valley,  rises  the  solemn  refrain  : 

To  united  Germany,  peace  !  God  bless  ou* 
Kaiser,  who  enters  Berlin  to-day  ! 


326  Two  Daughters  of  Ont  Race, 

How  the  flags  waved  in  the  warm  summer 
wind,  and  how  the  people  rejoiced. 

On  the  loth  of  May  peace  was  signed  at  Frank- 
fort, and  to-day,  on  the  evening  of  June  16, 
Rotenberg  gives  a  banquet  in  the  city  hall  to  her 
victorious  sons. 

Fritz  Roden  could  not  be  present ;  he  had 
led  me  on  that  day  to  the  altar,  and  the  old  pas- 
tor had  said  that  indeed  was  a  fitting  marriage 
day — the  day  of  the  festival  of  peace.  And  may 
peace  dwell  forever  in  our  hearts — peace  between 
us  from  this  day  on  until  death  shall  part  us. 

Only  a  few  guests  sat  at  our  wedding  supper, 
"but  all  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell."  And 
when  Frau  Roden  gave  me  the  bundle  of  keys, 
how  proudly  and  yet  how  timidly  I  took  the 
emblem  of  my  new  dignity,  and  how  tenderly  I 
kissed  the  dear  old  mother. 

The  windows  were  open,  and  strains  of  dis- 
tant music  floated  in  upon  us  with  every  breeze. 
Lights  were  flaming  in  every  window,  triumphant 
emblems  of  German  might  and  unity. 

Fritz  and  I  stole  away  for  a  moment  from 
the  merry  company,  and  walked  hand  in  hand 
through  the  garden.  We  sat  down  under  the 
linden  tree  and  spoke  of  all  that  had  happened 
since  I  came  to  Rotenberg,  and  how  wonder- 
fully it  had  all  come  about. 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          327 


As  we  rose  to  go  back  to  the  house,  we  heard 
revellers  cheering  in  the  town  hall. 

"Helena,"  said  Fritz,  "what  word  is  so 
blessed  as  the  simple  word  peace  ?  May  God 
keep  the  Fatherland.  May  God  keep  our  house 
in  perfect  peace." 

The  years  rolled  round.  The  anniversary 
of  our  wedding  was  always  a  gala-day  with  us. 
On  one  anniversary  we  had  an  especial  celebra- 
tion. 

Between  mother  and  me  sat  a  wonderfully 
beautiful  lady  in  rich  toilet.  When  the  glasses 
clinked  together,  every  one  of  my  brave  lads 
wanted  to  drink  a  toast  with  their  beautiful 
Aunt  Lotta.  She  had  come  to  act  as  god- 
mother to  my  only  daughter.  The  christening 
was  to  take  place  that  evening.  '  We  had  not 
seen  each  other  since  she  had  gone  away,  and 
long  and  often  had  I  to  beg  ere  she  consented 
to  make  us  a  visit. 

She  had  married  a  second  time,  several  years 
before.  Her  husband,  an  Austrian  Baron  L., 
was  a  member  of  the  embassy  to  Italy,  and  they 
had  lived  a  long  time  in  Rome.  She  nad  no 
children.  Indeed  she  was  a  good  deal  disqui- 
eted by  the  affectionate  demonstrations  of  my 
children. 


328  Two  Daughters  of  One  Race, 

"  When  one  is  not  accustomed  to  children — " 
she  said  apologetically. 

Late  in  the  evening,  when  all  the  guests  had 
retired,  we  stood  together  in  the  chamber  which 
nad  been  Lotta's,  and  which  we  had  again  pre- 
pared for  her  reception.  She  looked  about  a 
long  time. 

"  There  is  not  the  slightest  change  in  your 
old  nest,  Helena — downstairs  and  upstairs — 
every  piece  of  furniture  stands  in  the  same  old 
spot." 

"  Only  that  now  I  am  downstairs  and  mother 
sleeps  above  ;  formerly  it  was  the  other  way, 
vou  know." 

She  stepped  to  the  window  and  looked  over 
at  the  castle,  whose  white  walls  glistened  in  the 
moonlight,  through  the  young  leaves  of  the 
chestnut  trees.  I  saw,  as  she  stood  there,  a  sad, 
tired  expression  come  over  her  fair  face.  I 
threw  my  arm  around  her.  "  Oh,  Lotta,"  I  said, 
"  if  I  only  knew  one  thing.  Are  you  happy  ? " 

"  Happy  ?  "  she  said,  as  she  looked  past  me 
into  the  night.  "  What  is  happiness,  Helena  ? 
I  have  everything  that  is  usually  included  under 
the  term  :  a  husband  who  adores  me  when  he 
can  spare  the  time  from  the  turf,  elegant  sur- 
roundings, society,  theatre,  dress,  carriages, 
travel — if  that  is  happiness?  I  am,  I  fear,  not 


Two  Daughters  of  One  Race.          329 

capable  of  feeling  happiness.  How  is  it  with 
you,  Helena  ?  " 

"  Oh,  Lotta,  God  be  thanked,  I  am  unspeak- 
ably happy." 

"  One  can  see  it  in  your  face  ;  and  in  his,  too," 
she  murmured. 

As  she  drove  away  she  kissed  little  Lottie  ; 
then  turning  to  me,  she  whispered  in  a  low  tone  : 

"  Peace  is  surely  with  you." 

Fritz  was  standing  by  the  carriage  door,  and 
by  his  side  stood  my  youngest  boy,  who  held  out 
to  his  aunt  a  nosegay  of  the  rarest  and  finest 
roses  in  our  garden. 

"  Father  gives  you  this.  Aunt  Lotta,"  said  the 
dear  little  fellow,  as  he  handed  her  the  flowers. 

She  took  the  bouquet,  and  turning  her  face 
away,  she  stepped  into  the  carriage  and  drew 
her  veil  over  her  streaming  eyes. 

"  Farewell,  Lotta,"  we  cried. 

Fritz  and  I  stood  arm  in  arm  and  waved  her 
an  adieu  as  she  went  back  to  her  restless,  gay 
life,  with  its  deceptive  glitter  and  splendor. 

Then  we  turned  to  look  at  our  children  play- 
ing in  the  shadows  of  a  mighty  German  oak. 
In  our  old-fashioned  house  dwell  happiness  and, 
peace. 


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